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Autocar Professional - Latest ArticlesenAutocar ProfessionalSuzuki Carry LCV deploys Hitachi camera with night-time pedestrian detection<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/60e265d3-7d9d-4330-b65b-d8470842a5a4.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Hitachi Automotive Systems has announced that its stereo camera, which enables the detection of pedestrians at night, has been adopted by Suzuki Motor Corporation for its Carry light pickup truck. The vehicle features updated specifications to enhance safety, with sales beginning this month in Japan. The Carry is the first&nbsp;light pickup truck with a stereo camera that can detect pedestrians at night.</strong></p>
<p>With Japan&#39;s rapidly aging population, many users of light pickup trucks such as farmers are now elderly. As a result, there is growing interest&nbsp;in vehicles equipped with advanced safety technologies, such as pedestrian detection and protection systems, as well as collision avoidance braking systems. Hitachi Automotive Systems says it is helping to meet these needs through the development and supply of its stereo camera with night time pedestrian detection functionality.</p>
<p>With the partial specification change, the Suzuki Carry is now equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) functionality, such as lane departure warnings, lane sway warnings and lead vehicle start alerts. Additionally, the model is equipped with the function to detect pedestrians at night, supporting collision avoidance braking, the same function that has been adopted by Suzuki for its Solio, Solio Bandit, Every and Every Wagon models. The function utilises Hitachi&#39;s unique machine learning technology, where large numbers of images are input as training data into the stereo camera, making it possible to detect pedestrians at night with a level of precision previously impossible.</p>
<![CDATA[The Suzuki Carry is the first light pickup truck in Japan with a stereo camera that can detect pedestrians at night.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/60e265d3-7d9d-4330-b65b-d8470842a5a4.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/60e265d3-7d9d-4330-b65b-d8470842a5a4.jpg&h=485&w=73544077https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/suzuki-carry-lcv-deploys-hitachi-camera-with-nighttime-pedestrian-detection-44077
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/suzuki-carry-lcv-deploys-hitachi-camera-with-nighttime-pedestrian-detection-44077Thu, 12 Sep 2019 22:28:00Daimler Trucks makes India a global export hub for BS VI trucks and buses<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35f2c460-6064-4600-bc1e-4707b75e19b6.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) today announced and showcased its readiness to transition to the new emission norms of Bharat Stage VI, which come into force from April 2020. Worldwide, Daimler has already sold over 1.4 million vehicles equipped with Euro 6 technology, which is a BS VI equivalent emissions technology. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-bharatbenz-5528tt-heavyduty-truck-gets-bs-vi-certification-43458"><span style="color:#FF0000;">In July 2019, DICV received certification for BS VI from ARAI for its heavy-duty 5588TT truck</span></a>, confirming that it has successfully adapted its global expertise in Euro 6 emissions technology to the Indian market.</strong></p>
<p>Depending upon the availability of BS VI fuel in India, DICV will officially launch its upgraded range of BS VI trucks and buses in Q1 2020. DICV will begin exporting its OM926 engine series internationally by 2021-22.</p>
<p>Speaking at DICV&rsquo;s sneak preview today in Chennai, Satyakam Arya, managing director and CEO, DICV, said, &ldquo;Daimler&rsquo;s experience of already bringing 1.4 million Euro 6 trucks and buses on the roads means we are easily ready to transition our BharatBenz trucks and buses to BS VI by the April 2020 deadline. With this head-start, we will begin exporting India-built trucks by 2021-22.&rdquo;</p>
<p>DICV has invested around Rs 500 crore to localise its Euro 6 technology for India, completing 2 million kilometres of testing and over 1,000 new parts. The company says it has achieved &ldquo;an outstanding localisation rate of above 80 percent on its products.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;The transition to BS VI opens up more opportunities to export fully-built vehicles, engines and parts to countries like Mexico, Chile and Brazil that will soon migrate to similar emission norms. This further strengthens India&rsquo;s position as a global production network for Daimler Trucks &amp; Buses,&rdquo; said Satyakam Arya.</p>
<p>The company&rsquo;s plant in Oragadam, Chennai, is the sole Daimler location worldwide which produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses catering to four brands &ndash; BharatBenz, Fuso, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-drives-past-25-000-export-units-mark-in-6-years-43814">Daimler India CV drives past 25,000 export units mark in 6 years</a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[DICV plans to launch upgraded range of BS VI trucks and buses in Q1 2020; transition to BS VI opens up new opportunities to export fully-built vehicles, engines and parts to Mexico, Chile and Brazil from 2021-22.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35f2c460-6064-4600-bc1e-4707b75e19b6.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35f2c460-6064-4600-bc1e-4707b75e19b6.jpg&h=485&w=73544059https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-trucks-makes-india-a-global-export-hub-for-bs-vi-trucks-and-buses-44059
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-trucks-makes-india-a-global-export-hub-for-bs-vi-trucks-and-buses-44059Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:38:00Daimler begins testing Level 4 automated trucks on public roads in the US<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4eaf7944-e7e7-4073-afad-cb6fa012ade8.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics are actively developing and testing automated trucks with SAE Level&nbsp;4 intent technology on public roads. The initial routes are on highways in southwest Virginia, where Torc Robotics, a Daimler Trucks company, is headquartered. </strong></p>
<p>All automated runs require both an engineer overseeing the system and a highly trained safety driver certified by Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics. All safety drivers hold a commercial driver&rsquo;s license and are specially trained in vehicle dynamics and automated systems.</p>
<p>The deployment on public roads takes place after months of extensive testing and safety validation on a closed loop track. As part of the comprehensive safety process by Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics, both test track and on-road validation play an integral role in establishing the essential building blocks for successfully advancing automated technology.</p>
<p>Martin Daum, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Trucks &amp; Buses: &ldquo;Torc Robotics is a leader in automated driving technology. Daimler Trucks is the market leader in trucks and we understand the needs of the industry. Bringing Level&nbsp;4 trucks to the public roads is a major step toward our goal to deliver reliable and safe trucks for the benefits of our customers, our economies and society.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Torc of the town</span></strong><br />
Based in the U.S., Torc is now part of Daimler Trucks. Authorities approved the majority stake acquisition by the truck manufacturer. Torc Robotics is now a part of the newly established Autonomous Technology Group of Daimler Trucks. The truck manufacturer is consolidating all its expertise and activities in automated driving into the global organization with locations in Blacksburg and Portland in the U.S. as well as in Stuttgart, Germany.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Being part of Daimler Trucks is the start of a new chapter for Torc,&rdquo; says Michael Fleming, CEO of Torc Robotics. &ldquo;Our whole team is thrilled to be working alongside our Daimler colleagues as we pursue the commercialization of Level&nbsp;4 trucks to bring this technology to the market because we strongly believe it can save lives.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Torc is one of the world&rsquo;s most experienced companies in the field of automated driving &ndash; with highly sophisticated, roadworthy technology and years of expertise with heavy-duty commercial vehicles. &ldquo;Asimov&rdquo;, Torc&rsquo;s system for automated driving, has been tested in urban and long-distance routes as well as in rain, snow, fog and varying light conditions.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Portland develops redundant vehicle chassis and infrastructure</span></strong><br />
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) will focus on further evolving automated driving technology and vehicle integration for heavy-duty trucks. The DTNA team is working on a truck chassis perfectly suited for highly automated driving, particularly the redundancy of systems needed to provide reliability and safety.</p>
<p>Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America: &ldquo;As we pair Daimler&#39;s expertise in building safe and reliable trucks with Torc&#39;s genius in engineering Level&nbsp;4 vehicles, we have no doubt we will do great things in the future. We look forward to writing history together. The U.S. highways are the perfect place to develop automated driving technology.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Within the Autonomous Technology Group, DTNA is also building an infrastructure required for the operational testing of initial application cases. This consists of a main control center and logistics hubs. These hubs are located along high density freight corridors where many customers operate and within close proximity of interstates and highways.</p>
<![CDATA[After extensive testing and safety validation on a closed loop track, development and testing of trucks with SAE Level 4 intent technology underway on public roads in Virginia.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4eaf7944-e7e7-4073-afad-cb6fa012ade8.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4eaf7944-e7e7-4073-afad-cb6fa012ade8.jpg&h=485&w=73544051https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-begins-testing-level-4-automated-trucks-on-public-roads-in-the-us-44051
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-begins-testing-level-4-automated-trucks-on-public-roads-in-the-us-44051Mon, 09 Sep 2019 14:46:00Mercedes-Benz to supply 130 Citaro hybrid low-floor buses to Bucharest<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4228cc9d-9426-4f95-b7d7-c0012d34b52f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>From May 2020, Mercedes‑Benz is to deliver a total of 130&nbsp;Citaro hybrid low-floor city buses to the Romanian capital, Bucharest.</strong></p>
<p>The Romanian capital city of Bucharest already chose the Mercedes-Benz Citaro in previous years. In the last decade, the city authorities ordered a total of 1,000&nbsp;Citaros. &quot;Bucharest is a capital of the Citaro. So we are delighted to continue working together,&quot; says Ulrich Bastert, Head of Marketing, Sales and Customer Services for Daimler Buses.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The bus maker says the technology of the &#39;Bus of the Year&nbsp;2019&#39; combines economy and ecology. Depending on the operation, the hybrid module reduces fuel consumption as per the operation and therefore emissions by up to 8.5&nbsp;percent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Citaro hybrid will be delivered to Bucharest in the solo version. Mercedes says the city&nbsp;buses have safe, comfortable equipment with full climate control, upholstered passenger seats, an infotainment system with real-time information, USB ports for passengers&#39; own end devices and ESP Electronic Stability Program.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Hybrid module saves fuel and reduces emissions&nbsp;</span></strong><br />
The hybrid module for the Citaro is available as special equipment both for the diesel and for the drive aggregate. The electric motor of the hybrid module supports the drive assembly primarily when the demand for power is high; with an output of up to 14&nbsp;kW and 220&nbsp;Nm torque. This occurs when pulling away, for example. The ability to provide for this maximum demand in power reduces the fuel consumption of the Citaro, which is already low, by up to 8.5&nbsp;percent. Accordingly, emissions are lower. It is stored in double-layer capacitors &ndash; so-called supercaps.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Notably, earlier this year, an international jury chose the Citaro hybrid as &#39;Bus of the Year 2019&#39;.</p>
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<![CDATA[The Romanian capital city of Bucharest has been using the Mercedes-Benz Citaro since the past decade.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4228cc9d-9426-4f95-b7d7-c0012d34b52f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4228cc9d-9426-4f95-b7d7-c0012d34b52f.jpg&h=485&w=73544038https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mercedesbenz-to-supply-130-citaro-hybrid-lowfloor-buses-to-bucharest-44038
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mercedesbenz-to-supply-130-citaro-hybrid-lowfloor-buses-to-bucharest-44038Sat, 07 Sep 2019 09:56:00Equipmake begins final testing phase of new electric bus powertrain<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d823ba0f-5e9f-4bdc-a6f5-fcb50887b764.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Improving air quality in congested cities is a central concern to citizens and policymakers across the world. While electric buses are often seen as a key solution, they have been prohibitively expensive &ndash; until now.</strong></p>
<p>UK, Hetlel-based Equipmake has now entered the final testing phase of its cost-effective, highly-efficient electric bus drivetrain with UK-based performance and durability development set to finish at the end of the year. In-service trials of the vehicle will then begin in Q1 2020 by Brazilian commercial vehicle manufacturer, Agrale, who will launch the electric bus first in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2021.</p>
<p>The UK-based test and development programme has ensured that the class-leading APM200 motors, latest generation lithium-ion battery pack and advanced power control system have been working as intended.</p>
<p>The EBus drivetrain features two APM200 motors at its heart, the company&rsquo;s innovative spoke-architecture electric motor, which is believed to be the highest power/torque dense automotive electric motor in the world. These motors, which will also power the upcoming Ariel HIPERCAR, are mated to proven Semikron SKAI inverters, while battery technology is provided by the latest generation lithium-ion cells.</p>
<p>The drivetrain also features a number of novel innovations, that not only improve vehicle range but reduce capital cost. By optimising the heating and cooling of the vehicle and maximising overall energy efficiency, the bus will have enough range for one day&rsquo;s running without the need for charging. In this way, the vehicle is not reliant on infrastructure and can maintain flexibility of route.</p>
<p>To charge the vehicle, the operator simply needs access to a standard three-phase supply, which will fully charge the vehicle in around five hours. However, the powertrain also supports fast charging - and has an onboard charger. Equipmake&rsquo;s EBus system is also modular, meaning it can be adapted to different bus lengths and vehicles, including a double-decker. The Agrale bus in testing is based on the MT17, a 12-metre single- deck model capable of carrying 70 passengers.</p>
<p>Ian Foley, Managing Director of Equipmake, said: &ldquo;We are very excited to be reaching the final phase of EBus powertrain testing ahead of in-service trials in Buenos Aires early next year. The drivetrain has performed exactly as expected so far but as we complete our UK-based durability testing, our team of expert engineers will be making sure it continues to hit every target in order to fulfil its demanding application in Argentina.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There is a significant global demand for clean, affordable electric buses. In Buenos Aires alone there are 16,000 buses in operation, which are replaced at a rate of 1,000 models every year, while the global market for electric buses is around 300,000 vehicles per annum &ndash; and that is only growing.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Manufacture of Equipmake&rsquo;s EBus powertrains is set to scale dramatically over the next few years, so much so that we will be moving to a new bespoke facility in Snetterton in the coming months. We expect to build 700 EBus drivetrains for Agrale in the first year of production but we are already seeing major demand from markets all over the world, making our new factory crucial to fulfilling demand.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Electric buses are one of the most effective ways to reduce pollution caused by public transportation. Up until now cost has held back widespread adoption, but with Equipmake&rsquo;s electric chassis that is no longer a barrier.&rdquo;</p>
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<![CDATA[Equipmake’s EBus drivetrain, which uses two of its class-leading APM200 spoke motors, latest-generation lithium-ion battery pack and an advanced power control system, will power a new electric bus for Brazilian CV maker, Agrale]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d823ba0f-5e9f-4bdc-a6f5-fcb50887b764.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d823ba0f-5e9f-4bdc-a6f5-fcb50887b764.jpg&h=485&w=73544024https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/equipmake-begins-final-testing-phase-of-new-electric-bus-powertrain-44024
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/equipmake-begins-final-testing-phase-of-new-electric-bus-powertrain-44024Thu, 05 Sep 2019 14:17:00Mahindra expands Supro Minitruck range with VX variant priced at Rs 440,000<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2ef4001f-fde8-42b7-866d-4b1a159881bb.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra has expanded its small commercial vehicle range with the launch of the Supro Minitruck VX,&nbsp;a new variant of the company&rsquo;s Supro minitruck platform. The VX variant offers enhanced features at a competitive price of Rs 440,000 (ex-showroom&nbsp;Mumbai).</strong></p>
<p>M&amp;M says the VX variant is conceptualised to effectively cater to both inter-city and intra-city business needs. It is driven by Mahindra&rsquo;s DI engine, which develops maximum power of 26hp and 55 Nm of torque.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Supro Minitruck VX&nbsp;offers a payload capacity of 900kg and a bigger cargo box. Shod with bigger 13-inch tyres and 170mm of ground clearance,&nbsp;the company says the Supro Minitruck VX user will be able to transport higher loads easily,&nbsp;lower fuel costs and achieve a faster turn-around time thereby improving total cost of ownership.</p>
<p>Commenting on the new vehicle launch, Satinder Singh Bajwa, Business Head - Small Commercial Vehicles, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, said: &ldquo;The Supro brand promises superior mileage,&nbsp;superior power, superior load carrying ability and higher earnings to its customers. It has always been our endeavour to introduce new offerings to address the ever-changing needs of our customer. The unshakeable trust of customers has been earned on the strength of the product, its quality, earning potential, robustness and the reliability of brand Mahindra.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Supro Minitruck&nbsp;comes with a warranty of 3 years/ 80,000km. The members of the UDAY program receive a lifetime insurance of Rs 10 lakh along with other benefits. Providing support is the countrywide Mahindra dealer network and 2,600&nbsp;Mahindra Mitra technicians to facilitate easy repairs and maintenance.</p>
<p>The Supro platform was introduced to address the needs of various market segments including cargo and passenger movement, while delivering superior performance. Today, the Supro brand offers India&rsquo;s widest range of passenger &amp; cargo vehicles with 11 offerings that are available in Diesel, CNG and Electric variants.</p>
<p>In FY2019, a total of 21,231 Supros were sold. In the April-July 2019 period, a little over 4,600 units have been retailed. M&amp;M will be hoping the new VX variant will add some fizz to the Supro&#39;s sales.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/image012.png&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 725px;" title=""></p>
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<![CDATA[Supro Minitruck VX has a payload capacity of 900kg, bigger cargo box, 13-inch tyres and 170mm ground clearance. M&M says it can transport bigger loads easily, lower fuel costs and achieve a faster turnaround time.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2ef4001f-fde8-42b7-866d-4b1a159881bb.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2ef4001f-fde8-42b7-866d-4b1a159881bb.jpg&h=485&w=73544010https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-expands-supro-minitruck-range-with-vx-variant-priced-at-rs-440-000-44010
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-expands-supro-minitruck-range-with-vx-variant-priced-at-rs-440-000-44010Wed, 04 Sep 2019 15:42:00Ashok Leyland's entire heavy-duty truck range now BS VI-compliant <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/62462233-aaf2-4b4d-8152-26c705995847.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok Leyland, one of the largest commercial vehicle manufacturers in the country, has become the first Indian OEM to upgrade its full-range of heavy duty trucks (GVW of 16.2 tonnes&nbsp;and above) to meet the upcoming BS VI emission norms that are mandated from April 2020. </strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="Ashok Leyland and ARAI" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Ashok%20Leyland%20with%20BS-6%20certification_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Ashok Leyland and ARAI"></strong></p>
<p><em>L-R: Rashmi Hemant Urdhwareshe, Director, ARAI handing over the BS-VI certification for the complete range of Heavy Duty Trucks to&nbsp;Dr Saravanan, CTO, Ashok Leyland.</em></p>
<p>On August 29, 2019, Dr N Saravanan, chief technology officer, Ashok Leyland, received the certificates, confirming compliance to BS-VI emission standard, from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).&nbsp;</p>
<p>It may be recollected that in November 2018, Ashok Leyland had announced that it had achieved its <span style="color:#0000FF;">i</span><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-on-track-to-meet-bs-vi-2020-emission-norms-41401"><span style="color:#0000FF;">nternal milestone on emission capability for its entire range of M&amp;HCV vehicles to meet the BS VI norms.</span></a> The new technology continues to build upon the successfully proven <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-develops-world%E2%80%99s-first-inline-fuel-pumpdriven-bs-iv-engine--upgradable-to-bs-vi-40445"><span style="color:#0000FF;">iEGR (Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation) engine platform</span></a>.</p>
<p>Commenting on this milestone, Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland, said, &quot;Ashok Leyland has always been a pioneer in the introduction of new technology in the commercial vehicle industry and this achievement of meeting the BS VI emission standard across our heavy vehicle range further reinforces our position as technology leaders. Despite the short transition timeframe from BS IV to BS Vl, we have done extensive testing and with another 7 months to go, we are confident that our indigenous development will provide a superior and competitive solution addressing the needs of our customers. Compliance in the LCV and ICV range will be completed shortly and we will offer a comprehensive range from 70hp to 360hp in BS Vl application.&quot;</p>
<p>Dr N Saravanan, said, &ldquo;We were the first Indian OEMs to showcase a Euro-VI&nbsp;truck during the Auto Expo 2016, Delhi, and we are the first to be ready with BS VI vehicles across our heavy-duty truck range, well ahead of the deadline. Technology and its intelligent use have been our forte. Whether it was the use of a mechanical pump for BS III&nbsp;or iEGR technology for BS IV, we have strived to simplify the technology for our customers to deliver value throughout the product lifecycle. With our BS VI range, we will continue to deliver on this promise of reliability and ease of operations. Additionally, we have developed an entire new modular vehicle platform for this range and are confident of meeting the increasingly dynamic customer requirements, with multiple options of loading spans, cabins, suspensions&nbsp;and&nbsp;drivetrains. These combinations would be offered to the customers through a custom-built product configurator.&quot;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-sales-plunge-by-41-in-august--tata-motors-and-ashok-leyland-see-a-new-low-43987"><span style="color:#FF0000;">CV sales plunge by 41% in August, Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland see a new low</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="Daimler%20India%20CV's%20BharatBenz%205528TT%20heavy-duty%20truck%20gets%20BS%20VI%20certification"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler India CV&#39;s BharatBenz 5528TT heavy-duty truck gets BS VI certification</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors%E2%80%99-38l-sgi-cng-engine-for-cvs-gets-bs-vi-certification-41870"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors&rsquo; 3.8L SGI CNG engine for CVs gets BS VI certification</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-bolero-power-plus-gets-bs-vi-certification--more-safety-features-43651"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra Bolero Power Plus gets BS VI certification, more safety features</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/hero-motocorp-gets-bs-vi-certification-from-icat-for-splendor-43249"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Hero MotoCorp gets BS VI certification from iCAT for Splendor</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Ashok Leyland claims that it has become the first Indian CV maker to get BS-VI certification for its full range of heavy-duty trucks]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/62462233-aaf2-4b4d-8152-26c705995847.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/62462233-aaf2-4b4d-8152-26c705995847.jpg&h=485&w=73543988https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-entire-heavyduty-truck-range-now-bs-vicompliant-43988
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-entire-heavyduty-truck-range-now-bs-vicompliant-43988Tue, 03 Sep 2019 12:29:00CV sales plunge by 41% in August, Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland see a new low <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2e598ae7-7d8e-45f6-9190-b144e6021243.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The commercial vehicle sector, like the passenger vehicle industry, continues to be badly hit by the ongoing downturn. As per the initial numbers released by CV OEMs, it looks like the consolidated numbers in August 2019 will see a new low. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Sales of medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&amp;HCV) have been the most impacted. Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, the two largest players in the segment, have seen their M&amp;HCV sales plunge by 58 and 70 percent respectively.</p>
<p>The overall slowdown in the economy means has there are fewer consignments and loads to be transported across the country, in turn reducing freight rates. This, along with the poor liquidity issue due to which &nbsp;financing of trucks is tightening due to truck owners defaulting on their EMIs, has dampened new vehicle buying by both large and small fleet operators. The turnaround of the truck sector will now solely depend on how long the economy takes to revive.</p>
<p>According to Girish Wagh, president, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors, &quot;The subdued demand sentiment due to poor freight availability, lower freight rates and a general slowdown in the economy continue to hamper commercial vehicle demand. System stock reduction through retail focus and aligning production will continue to be our approach, while cautiously monitoring the market, in these challenging times. As a result, retail sales are estimated to be ahead of wholesales by over 25 percent in August. We are looking forward to a positive impact of the recently announced stimulus package by the Government.&quot;</p>
<p>If there is some hope on the horizon, then it will be the beginning of pre-buying of trucks ahead of BS VI emission norms that are mandated from April 2020. It is expected that partial pre-buying will start from September and go right up to January 2020. However, given the considerable negative market and consumer sentiment in the economy, the fall in GDP growth and the ongoing production cuts at OEMs, it is difficult to estimate how much really will pre-buying of M&amp;HCVs really uplift overall numbers, giving the extent of the red ink on OEM sales.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How the OEMs fared in August</span></strong><br>
Commercial vehicle market leader <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></strong>, which in the April-July 2019 period had a market share of 42.28 percent, sold a total of 21,824 units in August 2019, which marks a sharp year-on-year decline of 45 percent. Its M&amp;HCV sales plunged by 58 percent to 5,340 units (August 2018: 12,715). And intermediate LCV numbers&nbsp;dropped by 40 percent to 3,152 units. Sale of its cargo SCVs and pickups were down 36 percent to 11,082 units, and that of its commercial passenger carriers (buses) dropped 50 percent to 2,250 units.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland</span></strong>, which has a market share of 25.48 percent, registered a 50 percent drop in its overall domestic sales in the month to 8,296 units. (August 2018: 16,628).&nbsp;Its M&amp;HCV sales slumped 63 percent to 4,585 units; &nbsp;trucks are down 70 percent while bus sales fell marginally by 3 percent. LCVs were down by 12 percent to 3,711 units (August 2018: 4,208).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></strong>&rsquo;s overall CV sales were down by 28 percent to 14,684 units (August 2018: 20,362). Its M&amp;HCV sales tanked 69 percent to 354 units. The below-3.5T GVW segment sold 13,855 units, down 28 percent (August 2018:18,584), and those in the above-3.5T GVW segment declined by 20 percent to 475 units.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>&rsquo; sales fell by 35.1 percent last month; the company sold 3,144 units in the domestic market (August 2018: 4,843 units).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">SIAM urges GST cut to 18%, scrappage policy</span></strong><br>
Given the sharp sales decline, apex industry body SIAM has once again reiterated the need for a GSt reduction from the existing 28 percent to 18 percent. According to Rajan Wadhera, president, SIAM, &ldquo;The sales reports of various companies for the month of August 2019 have been very dismal with over 30 percent erosion of sales for passenger vehicles. The commercial vehicle and two-wheeler sales are also significantly negative, indicating that the market has still not responded to the various measures initiated by the Finance Minister last month. The series of announcements on credit availability and reducing the cost of credit that were made do&nbsp;not seem to have percolated down to the NBFCs which support the bulk of finance for the automotive industry. The consumer sentiment also continues to be low and there is clearly a trust deficit in lending money to the dealers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On its part, the automobile industry has pulled out all stops in offering attractive deals and discounts to the consumers. However, the ability of the industry to provide large discounts is limited and this only highlights the need for the government to consider reducing the GST rates from 28 percent to 18 percent, which would significantly reduce the cost of vehicles and in turn create demand.</p>
<p>There is also an urgent need to come out with an integrated incentive-based vehicle scrappage policy covering all segments of the auto industry The festival season has begun, it is imperative that these decisions are taken quickly to facilitate a recovery in the industry,&rdquo; emphasised Wadhera.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/cv%20sales_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 292px;" title=""></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[With M&HCV sales most impacted, market leaders Tata Motors and Ashok see their M&HCV numbers plunge by 58% and 70% respectively.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2e598ae7-7d8e-45f6-9190-b144e6021243.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2e598ae7-7d8e-45f6-9190-b144e6021243.jpg&h=485&w=73543987https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-sales-plunge-by-41-in-august--tata-motors-and-ashok-leyland-see-a-new-low-43987
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-sales-plunge-by-41-in-august--tata-motors-and-ashok-leyland-see-a-new-low-43987Tue, 03 Sep 2019 12:08:00Ashok Leyland scouts for strategic ties in EV era<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fc51c712-461c-455e-aa77-95c4397d5c00.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>It&#39;s been about four months since Dr Seshu Bhagavathula took on a new role of president - New Technologies and Business Initiatives at Ashok Leyland, moving from a stint as its CTO. As the Chennai-based CV manufacturer progresses in its journey, part of which is also a target to enter the top 10 CV makers club globally, it is looking at doing things differently than done earlier. A key change is the new product development approach under the &#39;Modular Business Program&#39; project kicked off in 2016. The results will be seen now in products.</strong></p>
<p>&quot;With modularisation, our addressable market has gone up. Things that we have not been able to offer before, we can offer from now on,&quot; Dr Bhagavathula tells <em>Autocar Professional</em>, during the first media interview in his new role. The modular approach is being taken for both the medium and heavy and LCV businesses. The rollout of the products will be from April 2020.</p>
<p><img alt="Dr Seshu Bhagavathula, CTO Ashok Leyland" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Dr%20Seshu%20Bhagavathula%2C%20CTO%20Ashok%20Leyland.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Dr Seshu Bhagavathula, CTO Ashok Leyland"></p>
<p><em>Dr Seshu Bhagavathula, CTO Ashok Leyland</em></p>
<p>The modular platform approach is one of the many in-house efforts that Ashok Leyland to enhance value, efficiency and competitiveness in a market that has been largely traditional. But with the automobile industry itself set to transform with various disruptions and the onset of electric mobility, especially in the bus and LCV segments, the company will have to think and act differently.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Collaboration for big move in electric mobility</span></strong><br>
Electric mobility is one area for which Ashok Leyland has a &quot;big strategy&quot;. It has already embarked on it with buses that use swappable batteries, which Dr Bhagavathula says is the first in the world. The battery cost in an electric bus can be as high as 75 percent of the vehicle&#39;s cost. Since battery swapping removes a major part of an EV&#39;s cost, it can boost adoption of EVs, believes Sun Mobility, Ashok Leyland&#39;s battery swapping technology and service partner.</p>
<p>Ashok Leyland&#39;s electric buses are already plying in Ahmedabad, where after every 40km they drive into the depot for a three-minute battery swap. The efficiency of its electric buses could go up when the buses, specially designed for e-mobility, hit the market in 2-3 years.</p>
<p>&quot;EVs will become lightweight over time, which will start reducing the cost quite a bit. Today, our buses are not ideally suited for electrification, because we are transitioning from a heavy mechanical to electric transportation,&quot; says Dr Bhagavathula. The weight saving can be upwards of 15 percent. The engineering team is also working on other factors like NVH in the buses designed for electrification.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="Ashok Leyland electric bus" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Image-5.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Ashok Leyland electric bus"></p>
<p><em>An order for 50 Circuit buses from Ahmedabad under&nbsp;FAME II has given a charge to Ashok Leyland&#39;s EV drive.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p>Sun Mobility is the first major partner for Ashok Leyland in the emerging era of e-mobility. While drawing up new business initiatives for the company, &quot;intelligent partnerships&quot; will be given more weightage. With a vision of being a volume player in the e-mobility industry, Ashok Leyland sees that as a necessity. &quot;In the modem e-mobility value chain, you cannot do everything on your own. You require intelligent partnerships to master the overall value chain. You can&#39;t go and start buying companies. So intelligent partnerships are all about new business initiatives,&quot; says Dr Bhagavathula. Expect Ashok Leyland to strike some strategic partnerships.</p>
<p>E-mobility is a niche industry as of date, but with battery prices coming down gradually, the technocrat sees that EVs will become a viable and sound option over diesel CVs not too long from now. &quot;(When) the battery prices come down to $200 a kilowatt hour, then you have a TCO (total cost of ownership) parity with a diesel engine cost whenever that happens, which we believe will happen before 2025,&quot; says Dr Bhagavathula. He thinks then on could be the beginning of the end for diesels. Not for medium and heavy diesel vehicles though. &quot;Maybe, there&#39;s a fuel cell solution for that. We are closely watching that. We&#39;re also working on prototypes. We&#39;re actually trying to now be battery- agnostic, cell-agnostic and chemistry-agnostic,&quot; he says.</p>
<p>But for now, the immediate goal is April 1, 2020 when BS VI kicks in. Along with diesel, Ashok Leyland has also developed CNG and petrol engines meeting BS VI norms.</p>
<p><em>(This article was first featured in the August 15, 2019 issue of Autocar Professional)</em></p>
<![CDATA[The 70-year-old commercial vehicle major, which harbours fresh global dreams, plots new ways of doing business especially to ride the electric mobility trend successfully]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fc51c712-461c-455e-aa77-95c4397d5c00.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fc51c712-461c-455e-aa77-95c4397d5c00.jpg&h=485&w=73543964https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/ashok-leyland-scouts-for-strategic-ties-in-ev-era-43964
https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/ashok-leyland-scouts-for-strategic-ties-in-ev-era-43964Sun, 01 Sep 2019 08:35:00Petr Novotny: 'When Scania enters a market, it is for the long term. We're keen to test the haulage segment with the new NTG.'<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/86287f6e-9e77-4105-a2b8-f790908f4a67.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>Swedish truck major Scania, which exited the bus building business in India, is taking a fresh look at the mining business with the launch of its Next Truck Generation series and the promise of higher productivity and lower cost of ownership. <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Petr Novotny, Managing Director, Scania Commercial Vehicles India</span></strong>, speaks to Kiran Bajad.</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How do you foresee growth in the premium truck market in India over the next 2-3 years?</span></strong><br>
The premium truck sector in the country is comparatively smaller but growing at a gradual rate. The automotive industry as a whole is currently facing some tough times; however, we are optimistic about the future. With the country&rsquo;s exponential growth and the government&rsquo;s infrastructure push, we anticipate further growth in the industry as we have witnessed a rise in expenditure on railways, road projects and construction.</p>
<p>Infrastructure projects such as smart cities have led to an increased need for high-performance tippers and trucks. In addition, the steady growth in coal production has turned into a catalyst for the premium truck industry and ambitious targets set by the National Mineral Policy will further influence the industry positively in the long term.</p>
<p>In the near future, while the country gears up for the implementation of BS VI, we foresee a pre-buying trend ahead of the transition as several fleet operators will advance their purchases to ensure they replace their existing fleet with the new BS VI trucks to beat the price hike.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">With the launch of two new products &mdash; the NTG tippers &mdash; for the mining and construction segments, Scania has renewed its focus in India. What is the strategic growth plan?</span></strong><br>
As always, India remains an important market for Scania. History will tell you that when Scania enters a country, it is for the long term. We are a global company firmly committed to investing and growing in India. Taking that forward, we have drawn up a five-year strategic vision and mission document for Scania in India. Our 2024 strategy charts out a definite statement, including our vision and mission of a leading contributor to customer profitability by value selling, a pioneer in sustainable transport solutions.</p>
<p>To achieve this, we plan to expand in existing markets and segments, invest in future markets and new segments, and build a scalable and competent organisation.</p>
<p>This year we will continue to expand our footprint in existing segments while looking for possible investment opportunities to diversify in other segments. We look to capitalise on current industry trends while contributing heavily to the market. With our extensive experience in offering transportation solutions for the mining industry, we have launched the NTG range of trucks in India that will supply an array of productivityenhancing services as well as customized transportation solutions.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">The premium truck market in India is small but growing rapidly. There are two European players already present in the segment. How do you plan to take on the competition?</span></strong><br>
At Scania India, the customer always comes first. Our ambition is to be the preferred partner for our customers and we are committed to offering worldclass products and services to achieve this.</p>
<p>What sets us apart in the market is our strong focus on customer satisfaction, consistency, sustainability and innovations. Our business depends on our customers, therefore prioritising the customer is the main objective around which our effort is to deliver solutions to the customers efficiently to increase product productivity, uptime and fuel efficiency and our robust &lsquo;Connected Services&rsquo; and &lsquo;Site Optimisation&rsquo; offers.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Can you elaborate on Scania&rsquo;s India vision for India in the medium to long-term?</span></strong><br>
As mentioned earlier, India remains an important market for Scania. We are a global company firmly committed to investing andgrowing in India. From a short-term perspective, we will continue to expand our footprint in the country and explore strategic investment opportunities to branch out into other segments.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Scania%20NTG%20U%20body%20Tipper%202.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Scania says its BS VI-ready Next Truck Generation series, launched in India on July 4, comes with higher load-carrying capacity, better uptime, more durability, and the highest levels of safety and driver comfort.</em></p>
<p>We recently launched the NTG range of trucks in India to drive the evolution of India&rsquo;s transport solutions in the mining, construction and longhaulage business. This range will deliver productivityenhancing services as well as customised transport solutions. Additionally, we will use the local competence and skills to make it a part of our strong global network. We also look forward to testing the market for the haulage segment. While the rest of the country is working towards adopting</p>
<p>BS VI emissions in less than a year, Scania has been ready since 2011. We have been producing Euro 6 trucks since 2011 in Europe and using that expertise, we are prepared for BS VI engines in India.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What are the key challenges in the Indian market compared to other global markets?</span></strong><br>
The beauty of this country is that it generates immense learnings (in terms of the different operating environment, business models, operating and maintaining practices) that we can ladder up into our global business and adapt faster.</p>
<p>We understand that the success of our business is directly linked to the quality we deliver to our Indian customers and how well their businesses perform. Hence, we continuously strive to learn and understand the Indian customer&rsquo;s needs as transport companies and our customer&rsquo;s buyer demand for transport services.</p>
<p>We learn and synergise with our Indian ecosystem partners like L&amp;T, dealers, bodybuilders, financiers, and regulatory authorities. We are not just implementing international best-case practices in India, be it the most fuel-efficient driveline, the safest truck cabin or vehicles with aggregates and bodies for carrying a higher payload.</p>
<p>Alternatively, be it bestin- class site optimisation, fleet management service packages, data-based consulting, driver coaching and uptime management through most trained technicians, we have never shied away when it comes to constantly learn and offer the best solutions to our customers.</p>
<p>From products to services, from parts to contracts to coaching, we are building an India arm that offers unique and complete solutions. In addition, we have every intention to keep learning and excel even further.</p>
<p>In March 2011, Scania became the first manufacturer to introduce trucks with Euro 6 engines on the market, enabling foresighted customers to invest at an early stage in the cleanest emission technology available.</p>
<p>Energy efficiency has been at the core of Scania&rsquo;s offerings and hence our products have consistently improved performance by enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. What, according to you, are the key opportunities in the Indian truck market?</p>
<p>Apart from BS VI, we are pioneers in technologies within the truck segment, including real-time tracking, remote diagnostics, and driver coaching. Connected technologies enable us to manage truck fleets to maximise uptime and productivity. The data collected onboard Scania trucks gives valuable insight into driving styles, productivity and economy, allowing our customers with time to focus on improving their core business. This tracking and diagnostics brings significant benefits when it comes to uptime, safety and reducing operating costs.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What do you have to say about Scania&#39;s decision to exit the bus-body business in India?</span></strong><br>
Due to compelling business restructuring reasons, we did shut down the bus body-building unit but continue with our products and services in the mining segment. We have taken the time to re-strategise our business model and products for the Indian market. The Scania India team has put together a five-year strategy and we are excited to work towards achieving it.</p>
<![CDATA[Scania, which exited the bus building business in India recently, is taking a fresh look at the mining business with the launch of its Next Truck Generation series.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/86287f6e-9e77-4105-a2b8-f790908f4a67.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/86287f6e-9e77-4105-a2b8-f790908f4a67.jpg&h=485&w=73543967https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/petr-novotny-when-scania-enters-a-market--it-is-for-the-long-term-were-keen-to-test-the-haulage-segment-with-the-new-ntg-43967
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/petr-novotny-when-scania-enters-a-market--it-is-for-the-long-term-were-keen-to-test-the-haulage-segment-with-the-new-ntg-43967Sat, 31 Aug 2019 11:34:00Ajoy Lall: 'Sustainable business practices are in Tata Motors' DNA.'<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f978eb9-cbdd-4a5c-ac85-77248bf28652.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>Tata Motors&#39; Dharwad plant, its youngest manufacturing facility, is an IGBC-certified operation and has already achieved 100 percent renewable energy.<strong><span style="color:#FF0000;"> Ajoy Lall, Head &mdash; Manufacturing, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors</span></strong>, speaks to Kiran Bajad on the many eco-friendly initiatives at the plant which has an installed capacity of 200,000 CVs and produces the Ace Zip Gold, LCVs and electric buses.</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How important is the sustainability drive for Tata Motors? </span></strong><br>
Sustainable business practices are in Tata Motors&#39; DNA, and the entire credit goes to our founders. To be clean and green is imbibed in our values, right from the day of our company&#39;s foundation at Jamshedpur, which is now carried forward for all these decades. Clean, green and lean is our core philosophy in all our manufacturing plants. We are a signatory to Renewable Energy (RE100) global initiative and I&rsquo;m happy our Dharwad plant has already achieved 100 percent RE. All our other plants are headed towards achieving complete RE.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What are the key factors that helped the Dharwad plant achieve the renewable energy goals?</span></strong><br>
How will this benefit other plants? Being green and clean was the objective since the Dharwad plant was conceived. Being the newest plant, we could deploy all the learnings from our other plants. Right from the start of construction until vehicle production commenced, all the necessary steps were taken to comply with the IGBC guidelines. This is a unique achievement of the Dharwad plant (pictured below).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/NEW%20Rooftop%20Solar%20PV%20%281%29.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>The existing green belt at the Dharwad plant plant covers 462,450 square metres. It also houses 95,877 square metres of water bodies.</em></p>
<p><em><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Water%20Treatment%20plant.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""><br>
Zero liquid discharge plant at the Dharwad plant. All landscaped and garden areas have an irrigation system which is fed and sustained by treated effluent and sewage.</em></p>
<p>All Tata Motors plants work together and we have set ambitious goals. For example, the overarching aim is to reduce energy usage by 30 percent. We are also undertaking innovative projects to meet this target. Therefore, even if the energy cost increases by 20-30 percent, our power bills are going down due to a reduction in usage. Our team has come up with air-conditioning (AC) and air circulators that offer the same temperature and also the air-flow. So now instead of three, one AC and one air-circulator is enough. This innovative idea, put forward by one of our operators in the Pantnagar plant, is now being implemented at all our plants.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">All the other Tata Motors plants have been around for decades. How do you see them becoming more sustainable?</span></strong><br>
Yes, the old plants are running for decades but we keeping try to make them as modern as possible with requisite changes, with new industrial practices. In 2017, the Jamshedpur plant won the award for the highest savings in energy consumption in the Indian automobile sector. Despite being the very first plant, different initiatives across various areas produce superior results. In fact, the older plants sometimes have more headroom and opportunities for improvement than the younger plants.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Bus%20chassis%20on%20the%20assemlby%20line%20getting%20fitted%20with%20various%20aggregates%20%20%283%29.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>In 2017, the Jamshedpur plant, Tata Motors&#39; oldest manufacturing facility, won the award for the highest savings in energy consumption in the Indian automobile sector.</em><br>
<br>
<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What are the near-term sustainability goals Tata Motors is working on? </span></strong><br>
We have aligned ourselves with United Nations&#39; 21 developmental goals for sustainability. Our efforts in this area are aligned to those covering energy, water, renewable energy and waste management, both in terms of green as well as clean. We have set up cross-functional teams, driven by senior leadership.</p>
<p>Our CSR teams work across communities to help a sustainable lifestyle. We also have balanced score cards, which define the objectives for a year to achieve the sustainable and renewable energy goals. My own performance is evaluated at the end of the year on this basis. This mission further percolates down to each plant manager and their area of work. This is tied up across the organisation and goes up to the business head level. Tata Motors&#39; manufacturing operations encompass small commercial vehicles to heavy trucks, buses and passenger vehicles.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How challenging are the manufacturing complexities? </span></strong><br>
Yes, this is a challenge but I also believe it is a strength for Tata Motors &mdash; such a huge product range which no other manufacturer matches, not only in India but globally too. This strength comes from our skills, knowledge and competencies along with an engineering and research centre. Also, there are some operations which are common across each plant, and we have domain experts who provide the techniques across plants. Therefore, there is a synergy and also uniqueness of each plant in the company.</p>
<![CDATA[Tata Motors' Dharwad plant is an IGBC-certified operation and has already achieved 100 percent renewable energy. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Commercial Vehicles, Industry, Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f978eb9-cbdd-4a5c-ac85-77248bf28652.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f978eb9-cbdd-4a5c-ac85-77248bf28652.jpg&h=485&w=73543966https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/ajoy-lall-sustainable-business-practices-are-in-tata-motors-dna-43966
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/ajoy-lall-sustainable-business-practices-are-in-tata-motors-dna-43966Sat, 31 Aug 2019 10:45:00Ajoy Lall: 'Sustainable business practices are in Tata Motors' DNA.'<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f978eb9-cbdd-4a5c-ac85-77248bf28652.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>Tata Motors&#39; Dharwad plant, its youngest manufacturing facility, is an IGBC-certified operation and has already achieved 100 percent renewable energy.<strong><span style="color:#FF0000;"> Ajoy Lall, Head &mdash; Manufacturing, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors</span></strong>, speaks to Kiran Bajad on the many eco-friendly initiatives at the plant which has an installed capacity of 200,000 CVs and produces the Ace Zip Gold, LCVs and electric buses.</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How important is the sustainability drive for Tata Motors? </span></strong><br>
Sustainable business practices are in Tata Motors&#39; DNA, and the entire credit goes to our founders. To be clean and green is imbibed in our values, right from the day of our company&#39;s foundation at Jamshedpur, which is now carried forward for all these decades. Clean, green and lean is our core philosophy in all our manufacturing plants. We are a signatory to Renewable Energy (RE100) global initiative and I&rsquo;m happy our Dharwad plant has already achieved 100 percent RE. All our other plants are headed towards achieving complete RE.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What are the key factors that helped the Dharwad plant achieve the renewable energy goals?</span></strong><br>
How will this benefit other plants? Being green and clean was the objective since the Dharwad plant was conceived. Being the newest plant, we could deploy all the learnings from our other plants. Right from the start of construction until vehicle production commenced, all the necessary steps were taken to comply with the IGBC guidelines. This is a unique achievement of the Dharwad plant (pictured below).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/NEW%20Rooftop%20Solar%20PV%20%281%29.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>The existing green belt at the Dharwad plant plant covers 462,450 square metres. It also houses 95,877 square metres of water bodies.</em></p>
<p><em><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Water%20Treatment%20plant.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""><br>
Zero liquid discharge plant at the Dharwad plant. All landscaped and garden areas have an irrigation system which is fed and sustained by treated effluent and sewage.</em></p>
<p>All Tata Motors plants work together and we have set ambitious goals. For example, the overarching aim is to reduce energy usage by 30 percent. We are also undertaking innovative projects to meet this target. Therefore, even if the energy cost increases by 20-30 percent, our power bills are going down due to a reduction in usage. Our team has come up with air-conditioning (AC) and air circulators that offer the same temperature and also the air-flow. So now instead of three, one AC and one air-circulator is enough. This innovative idea, put forward by one of our operators in the Pantnagar plant, is now being implemented at all our plants.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">All the other Tata Motors plants have been around for decades. How do you see them becoming more sustainable?</span></strong><br>
Yes, the old plants are running for decades but we keeping try to make them as modern as possible with requisite changes, with new industrial practices. In 2017, the Jamshedpur plant won the award for the highest savings in energy consumption in the Indian automobile sector. Despite being the very first plant, different initiatives across various areas produce superior results. In fact, the older plants sometimes have more headroom and opportunities for improvement than the younger plants.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Bus%20chassis%20on%20the%20assemlby%20line%20getting%20fitted%20with%20various%20aggregates%20%20%283%29.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>In 2017, the Jamshedpur plant, Tata Motors&#39; oldest manufacturing facility, won the award for the highest savings in energy consumption in the Indian automobile sector.</em><br>
<br>
<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What are the near-term sustainability goals Tata Motors is working on? </span></strong><br>
We have aligned ourselves with United Nations&#39; 21 developmental goals for sustainability. Our efforts in this area are aligned to those covering energy, water, renewable energy and waste management, both in terms of green as well as clean. We have set up cross-functional teams, driven by senior leadership.</p>
<p>Our CSR teams work across communities to help a sustainable lifestyle. We also have balanced score cards, which define the objectives for a year to achieve the sustainable and renewable energy goals. My own performance is evaluated at the end of the year on this basis. This mission further percolates down to each plant manager and their area of work. This is tied up across the organisation and goes up to the business head level. Tata Motors&#39; manufacturing operations encompass small commercial vehicles to heavy trucks, buses and passenger vehicles.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How challenging are the manufacturing complexities? </span></strong><br>
Yes, this is a challenge but I also believe it is a strength for Tata Motors &mdash; such a huge product range which no other manufacturer matches, not only in India but globally too. This strength comes from our skills, knowledge and competencies along with an engineering and research centre. Also, there are some operations which are common across each plant, and we have domain experts who provide the techniques across plants. Therefore, there is a synergy and also uniqueness of each plant in the company.</p>
<![CDATA[Tata Motors' Dharwad plant is an IGBC-certified operation and has already achieved 100 percent renewable energy. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Commercial Vehicles, Industry, Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f978eb9-cbdd-4a5c-ac85-77248bf28652.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f978eb9-cbdd-4a5c-ac85-77248bf28652.jpg&h=485&w=73543966https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/ajoy-lall-sustainable-business-practices-are-in-tata-motors-dna-43966
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/ajoy-lall-sustainable-business-practices-are-in-tata-motors-dna-43966Sat, 31 Aug 2019 10:45:00Subir Chowdhury to succeed Vipin Sondhi as JCB India's MD and CEO<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/715309b0-3a4c-465b-851a-43840f985939.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>JCB India the fully-owned subsidiary of JC Bamford Excavators, UK, one of the world&#39;s leading manufacturers of earthmoving and construction equipment, today announced appointing Subir Chowdhury, who is currently JCB India&rsquo;s COO, to take up the as the MD and CEO by end-2019. </strong></p>
<p>Chowdhury will replace <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jcb-india-vipin-sondhi-to-join-hinduja-group-leadership-team-43957"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Vipin Sondhi, who moves on to Hinduja Group</span></a> after 13 years&rsquo; service as MD and CEO to take up a position outside the industry. The Sondhi family has a long association with Ashok Leyland. Sondhi&#39;s father served as chairman of Ashok Leyland for 12 years.</p>
<p>Chowdhury had joined JCB India in 2005 as executive vice-president &ndash; Operations and was promoted to the role of COO in 2017, and has been credited with spearheading the expansion of JCB India from a single factory operation in New Delhi in 2006 to a network of five factories today &mdash; Pune, Jaipur and New Delhi. A sixth factory is currently under construction in Gujarat, which is set to began operations in 2020.</p>
<p>Graeme Macdonald, CEO, JCB Group said: &ldquo;I would like to thank Vipin Sondhi for his exceptional contribution to the JCB Group. Under his leadership, JCB India has cemented its position as a major player in the Indian construction equipment industry, and I wish him well for the future. Subir Chowdhury has a proven track record at JCB and I am delighted he is taking up the position as MD and CEO. He has been directly responsible for delivering the additional manufacturing capacity needed to keep pace with the phenomenal growth in the Indian construction equipment market. JCB India is in very safe hands and is perfectly positioned for future growth.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Before joining JCB India, Chowdhury was director &ndash; Manufacturing for Whirlpool based in New Delhi (2001-2005).&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Subir Chowdhury image courtesy: Mahindra World City</em></p>
<![CDATA[Chowdhury had joined JCB India in 2005 as executive vice-president – Operations and was promoted to the role of COO in 2017.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/715309b0-3a4c-465b-851a-43840f985939.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/715309b0-3a4c-465b-851a-43840f985939.jpg&h=485&w=73543961https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/subir-chowdhury-to-succeed-vipin-sondhi-as-jcb-india-md-and-ceo-43961
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/subir-chowdhury-to-succeed-vipin-sondhi-as-jcb-india-md-and-ceo-43961Fri, 30 Aug 2019 17:37:00JCB India's Vipin Sondhi to join Hinduja Group's leadership team <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6afed30e-5647-43bc-b2e1-c289dc705cc6.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Hinduja Group today announced that it has decided to induct Vipin Sondhi to its leadership team. In addition to other responsibilities, Sondhi will focus on consolidation, growth and future strategy of Hinduja Group&rsquo;s global automotive portfolio.</strong></p>
<p>At present Sondhi is the managing director and CEO for JCB - India, South East Asia and Pacific, and a member of its global executive leadership team. He is credited with transforming JCB&rsquo;s India portfolio to leadership position by bringing in with global standards of design, quality and manufacturing.</p>
<p>Commenting on the new role, Sondhi said: &quot;After an enriching period of over 13 years at JCB India, I look forward to moving on to my next challenge. I am looking forward to working with the illustrious Hinduja Group as a member of their global leadership team, helping them with global automotive portfolio of which Ashok Leyland is a significant member. I am happy that JCB India is a vibrant organisation, with capable leadership to succeed me.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Vipin Sondhi will join the Hinduja Group by December 2019.&nbsp;The company believes his addition to the leadership team will add significant strategic depth to its global automotive portfolio.</p>
<![CDATA[Sondhi will focus on consolidation, growth and future strategy for the company's global automotive business.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6afed30e-5647-43bc-b2e1-c289dc705cc6.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6afed30e-5647-43bc-b2e1-c289dc705cc6.jpg&h=485&w=73543957https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jcb-india-vipin-sondhi-to-join-hinduja-group-leadership-team-43957
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jcb-india-vipin-sondhi-to-join-hinduja-group-leadership-team-43957Fri, 30 Aug 2019 12:50:00Doosan Bobcat sets up its first India plant in Chennai<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2a0a466a-6446-4057-b60b-a9c1946bdeaf.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Doosan Bobcat India (DBIN), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based Doosan Bobcat, has commenced operations from its first manufacturing plant in India, at&nbsp;Gummudipoondi near Chennai in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;The company will produce backhoe loaders, a product which sees huge demand in India, given the ongoing focus on infrastructure development.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Doosan Bobcat is an industry leader in the engineering, manufacturing and marketing of construction equipment and represents the world-renowned Bobcat, Geith and Doosan brands.</p>
<p>The company has confirmed an investment of&nbsp;Rs 190 crore&nbsp;(US$&nbsp;26 million) for the next five years. The Doosan Bobcat India factory is spread across&nbsp;21.6 acres and has an annual production capacity of 8,000 units. It is an integrated facility with fabrication, warehouse, assembly and paint shop and&nbsp;will initially manufacture&nbsp;backhoe loaders, which have been completely designed and developed by the engineering team based in Chennai.&nbsp;The backhoe loader is a new addition to the company&#39;s product portfolio&nbsp; in India that comprises&nbsp;skid-steer loaders and mini-excavators.</p>
<p>At full capacity, the Chennai plant will employ more than 300 personnel. The new facility is equipped with modern manufacturing equipment, testing facilities, space for an R&amp;D centre, vendor development and a training centre too.</p>
<p>Commenting on the new plant, Scott Park, CEO of Doosan Bobcat, said, &ldquo;This new facility will cater to the increasing demand of backhoe loaders to support the development of India&rsquo;s infrastructure and construction segment. India is one of the key markets for Doosan Bobcat to maintain global leadership in the compact segment. By opening the new factory in India, Doosan Bobcat has taken the next step forward to expanding its global presence and growth strategy. This facility represents our long-term commitment to Indian customers, employees and business associates in the nation through the development of vendors, promotion of local part procurement, technology transfer and export.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="Doosan Bobcat India plant inauguration" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Doosan%20Bobcat%20India%20Plant%20Inauguration.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Doosan Bobcat India plant inauguration"></p>
<p><em>Doosan Bobcat India plant inauguration &ndash; &nbsp;[10th&nbsp;from left] Scott Park, global president and CEO, Doosan Bobcat; [5th from left] HW Park ( President, Doosan Bobcat Asia, Latin America and Oceania); Doosan Bobcat global executive committee members and chief guests &ndash; [9th&nbsp;from left] Prakash Govindasamy, IAS, Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation and [8th&nbsp;from left] Hyung Tae Kim, consul of general, consulate general of the Republic of Korea in Chennai</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">B900 backhoe loader launch in&nbsp;October&nbsp;</span></strong><br>
The B900 backhoe loader from Doosan Bobcat is to be officially launched in October 2019. Doosan Bobcat India claims that it has developed a comprehensive plan to support its customers through its 25 channel partners.</p>
<p>The company also plans to make this facility a global manufacturing hub for export and a regional centre of excellence. Other than backhoe loaders, the company is also looking to localise its other compact products to suit the Indian market requirement and potentially exporting that as well.</p>
<p>Doosan Bobcat India is also considering exporting its made-in-Chennai products.</p>
<![CDATA[Doosan Bobcat India will be initially manufacturing backhoe loaders completely designed and developed by the engineering team based in Chennai]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2a0a466a-6446-4057-b60b-a9c1946bdeaf.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2a0a466a-6446-4057-b60b-a9c1946bdeaf.jpg&h=485&w=73543951https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/doosan-bobcat-sets-up-its-first-india-plant-in-chennai-43951
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/doosan-bobcat-sets-up-its-first-india-plant-in-chennai-43951Thu, 29 Aug 2019 17:24:00Dana acquires Nordresa to further electric powertrains for CVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2590166f-c895-439f-8f8e-d68f86b80520.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The US-based Dana Incorporated announced that it has completed the acquisition of Canada-based Nordresa Motors, Inc., which is a prominent integration and application engineering expert for the development and commercialisation of electric powertrains for commercial vehicles.</strong></p>
<p>The investment further enhances&nbsp;Dana&#39;s&nbsp;electrification capabilities by combining its complete portfolio of motors, inverters, chargers, gearboxes, and thermal-management products with Nordresa&#39;s proprietary battery-management system, electric powertrain controls and integration expertise to deliver complete electric powertrain systems.</p>
<p>&quot;Nordresa&#39;s experience in designing and integrating electric vehicle systems enables&nbsp;Dana&nbsp;to offer our customers a complete system solution, including fully-integrated e-Axles, battery and powertrain controls, and thermal management,&quot; said&nbsp;James Kamsickas,&nbsp;Dana&nbsp;president and CEO. &nbsp;&quot;Each of&nbsp;Dana&#39;s&nbsp;customers are at different points on their electrification journey and our strategy remains focused on supporting them with industry-leading technology and expertise for all vehicle architectures.&quot;</p>
<p>The transition of the powertrain to fully electric requires changes to the propulsion system, power steering, air conditioning compressors, and other accessory systems that are specifically engineered for battery-electric solutions. Nordresa&#39;s ability to integrate these systems while customising the battery storage and management systems enables the most efficient solutions to be offered to customers.</p>
<p>&quot;The electrification of commercial vehicles is rapidly increasing, and Nordresa was in search of a company with a strong heritage and customer-centric culture that would further accelerate our business,&quot; said&nbsp;Sylvain Castonguay, president and CEO of Nordresa. &nbsp;&quot;Joining Dana provides Nordresa access to a global footprint, diverse customer base, and complete portfolio of electrification capabilities that will create long-term value for our customers.&quot;</p>
<p>Dana&nbsp;will continue to leverage the nearly two decades of electrification knowledge and experience of Nordresa&#39;s founders, who will serve in leadership positions at&nbsp;Dana.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-inc-appoints-gajanan-gandhe-country-head-for-dana-india-42889"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Dana Inc appoints Gajanan Gandhe country head for Dana India</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-completes-acquisition-of-oerlikon-group-drive-systems-business-42251"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Dana completes acquisition of Oerlikon Group&#39;s drive systems business</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-launches-tco-calculator-for-cv-buyers-42034"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Dana launches TCO calculator for CV buyers</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-acquires-italy%E2%80%99s-sme-group--expands-its-electrified-product-portfolio-41832"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Dana acquires Italy&rsquo;s SME Group, expands its electrified product portfolio</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[This acquisition will enable Dana to leverage Nordresa’s proprietary battery management system, electric powertrain controls and integration expertise.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2590166f-c895-439f-8f8e-d68f86b80520.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2590166f-c895-439f-8f8e-d68f86b80520.jpg&h=485&w=73543930https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-acquires-nordresa-to-further-electric-powertrains-for-cvs-43930
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-acquires-nordresa-to-further-electric-powertrains-for-cvs-43930Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:10:00Rivigo launches disruptive relay trucking model in India<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e47081e5-2823-4142-ac2c-7edcf30d1875.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a bid to transform the logistics sector in India, Rivigo, a technology-enabled logistics company, has launched Relay-as-a-Service (RaaS). With this, the company aims to bring benefits of its disruptive relay trucking model to&nbsp; fleet owners and truck pilots in India. </strong></p>
<p>This first-of-its-kind service is based on Rivigo&rsquo;s patented technological capability through which it has been operating relay for the past five years.&nbsp;RaaS will be offered to fleet owners using its technology, pilots and countrywide network of relay pit-stops.</p>
<p>Relay trucking is an operating model where drivers change over after every few hundred kilometres of driving through a network of relay pit-stops and then get rostered back to their home base to return to their families every single day. According to Rivigo, relay trucking is humane, more efficient, and provides better service and offers significant advantages over traditional trucking like air equivalent transit time, higher asset utilization, four times safer than industry and more importantly pilots return home every day.</p>
<p>Commenting on the launch Gazal Kalra, co-founder,&nbsp;Rivigo, said, &ldquo;With RaaS, we aim to offer the benefits of relay trucking to millions of fleet owners in India and bring in efficiencies in the logistics industry while directly addressing one the biggest challenges of chronic truck driver shortage. In addition to the relay network, technology and pilots, we will be making our fuel, maintenance, cashless payment solutions also available to fleet owners in the country through RaaS.&nbsp;Rivigo&rsquo;s mission is to make logistics in India humane, more efficient and offer better service. Offering Relay-as-a-Service to fleet owners in the country is a significant step in that direction.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Ramratan Singhi, owner of Sure Cargo Logistics which has&nbsp;a fleet of 70 BharatBenz trucks, and a RaaS subscriber, said, &ldquo;After almost six years of being in this business, I believe relay is the only solution to the truck driver issue. The RaaS model helps make trucking efficient.&nbsp;We achieved 25-30 percent extra running per month per truck through RaaS, compared to using our resources.&nbsp;Hub-hub TAT was excellent, and the use of tech in all aspects of operations (fuel, maintenance) is helping us see the areas of concern in our trucks. It frees our management time and resources on getting more business while our trucks are operated by Rivigo relay pilots.&nbsp;&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[Delhi-based logistics technology provider rolls out Relay-as-a-Service (RaaS) to commercial vehicle fleet owners.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e47081e5-2823-4142-ac2c-7edcf30d1875.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e47081e5-2823-4142-ac2c-7edcf30d1875.jpg&h=485&w=73543912https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/rivigo-launches-disruptive-relay-trucking-model-in-india-43912
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/rivigo-launches-disruptive-relay-trucking-model-in-india-43912Sat, 24 Aug 2019 16:38:00Mahindra rolls out 1.5 millionth Bolero pickup<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ad164312-ef4c-4387-a599-a971f324dc95.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra today rolled out its milestone 15th&nbsp;lakh or 1.5 millionth unit of its popular Bolero Pickup from the Kandivali plant in Mumbai. Given that this product&nbsp;first rolled out in 1999, the 1.5 million-unit landmark comes 20 years after&nbsp;start of production.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The popular and rugged Bolero Pickup is used for diverse applications including the delivery of agricultural products, dairy, consumer goods, construction equipment, logistics, fisheries, cash vans and for some Swachh Bharat initiatives.</p>
<p>Speaking on the new milestone,&nbsp;Rajan Wadhera, President - Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra,&nbsp;said, &ldquo;This is a proud moment for us as the Bolero pickup range crosses the 15-lakh milestone. We would like to thank our customers for their support which has enabled the brand to grow from strength to strength. Today, Mahindra has the most extensive range in this segment.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p>
<p>Wadhera&nbsp;added, &ldquo;Being the leader in the pickup segment for over&nbsp;two decades, we have made our systems and processes robust to understand and address the evolving needs of our customers. We keep introducing new products and technologies at regular intervals to enable our customers to progress in life.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/BOLERO%20GROUP.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 553px;" title=""></p>
<p>The Mahindra Pickup portfolio comprises four brands &ndash; the flagship Bolero Pik-Up, Bolero Maxi Truck, Bolero Camper and Imperio &ndash; each with a unique value proposition and targeted at different customer segments to match their specific needs.</p>
<p>The company also has specialised variants in the range such as the 4WD pickups, CBC pickups, CNG pickups and customised solutions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The pickup segment in India currently averages sales of over 14,000 vehicles a month and is growing rapidly&nbsp;albeit, like other vehicle segments, is feeling the pressure of the current downturn. With 58 percent&nbsp;market share in FY2019 and sales of 162,000 units in FY2019, the Mahindra pickup enjoys a leadership position in the segment.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-bolero-pickup-posts--bestever-sales-of-162-000-units-in-fy2019-42640"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra Bolero pickup posts best-ever sales of 162,000 units in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The Mahindra Pickup portfolio comprises the flagship Bolero Pik-Up, Bolero Maxi Truck, Bolero Camper and Imperio, each targeted at different customer segments.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ad164312-ef4c-4387-a599-a971f324dc95.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ad164312-ef4c-4387-a599-a971f324dc95.jpg&h=485&w=73543865https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-rolls-out-15-millionth-bolero-pickup-43865
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-rolls-out-15-millionth-bolero-pickup-43865Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:04:00Daimler India CV drives past 25,000 export units mark in 6 years <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7c49bb74-62e2-4196-914f-f869d8126918.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has announced that it has crossed the export milestone of producing 25,000 made-in-India vehicles. The milestone vehicle &ndash; a Fuso FJ 1823R &ndash; was shipped to Saudi Arabia. An integral part of Daimler&rsquo;s global production network for trucks and buses, its Oragadam plant in Chennai is the only location worldwide which produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses catering to four brands &ndash; BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/19A0654.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 294px;" title=""></strong></p>
<p><em>DICV&#39;s Oragadam plant in Chennai is the only location worldwide which produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses catering to four brands &ndash; BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. &nbsp;</em></p>
<p>Commenting on the achievement, Satyakam Arya, MD and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said<strong>, </strong>&ldquo;The milestone of crossing 25,000 units in exports illustrates the demand and acceptance of our products in global markets. It stands testimony to the quality and efficiency of the products that are built in India by Daimler. With new markets constantly getting added to our export fold, our Indian operations will continue to play a strategic role in Daimler&rsquo;s growth story.&rdquo;</p>
<p>DICV&rsquo;s exports increased by 8 percent to 7,054 trucks in 2018 (2017: 6,553 units). DICV has also been growing its parts business with over 100 million parts being exported to other Daimler entities. DICV also has a consolidation centre that is&nbsp;spread over 2,200&nbsp;square metres that has a monthly pallet handling capacity of 3,000 and container handling capacity of 100 at its facility in Oragadam. The company now supplies vehicles to 50 countries in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia; Chile, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Rwanda, Ghana and Egypt to name a few.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-crosses-100-000-unit-production-milestone-40629"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler India CV crosses 100,000 unit production milestone</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Milestone reached a little over six years after start of production in 2013; Oragadam plant sole location worldwide which produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses for four brands – BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7c49bb74-62e2-4196-914f-f869d8126918.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7c49bb74-62e2-4196-914f-f869d8126918.jpg&h=485&w=73543814https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-drives-past-25-000-export-units-mark-in-6-years-43814
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-drives-past-25-000-export-units-mark-in-6-years-43814Tue, 13 Aug 2019 16:30:00Olectra Greentech to sell subsidiary to MEIL Holdings, will focus on EV business<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ed73de29-a774-48b8-8e30-ec58f681a218.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Telangana-based electric vehicle maker Olectra Greentech, today announced that it plans to divest its entire shareholding in Evey Trans including its subsidiary OHA Commute to MEIL Holdings, one of the Promoters of Olectra Greentech at a consideration of Rs 5.5 crore.</strong></p>
<p>Olectra Greentech formerly Goldstone Infratech is a partnership between China-based EV major BYD and Olectra (Goldstone) one of the largest domestic manufacturer of silicone rubber and composite insulators for power transmission and distribution networks.</p>
<p>Olectra Greentech said the move is on the back of the considerable huge investments required for deploying electric buses on GCC/Opex model through Evey Trans, a material wholly-owned subsidiary of the company and to focus on its core business of manufacturing electric vehicles.</p>
<p>Subject to approval Evey Trans and its subsidiary OHA Commute will also cease to be the subsidiary of the Olectra Greentech.</p>
<p>In Q1 FY2020, Olectra Greentech reported revenue of Rs 113 crore, up 232 percent, compared to Rs 34 crore reported for the same period last year. The PAT for the period came at Rs 84 crore, compared to a loss of Rs 34 crore YoY.</p>
<p>Olectra Greentech claims that at present it has over 108 electric buses operating in the country in Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Pune, Kerala and Telangana, which have clocked close to 600,000km&nbsp;that translates to the reduction of CO2 emissions up to 630 tonnes or equivalent to 3,143 trees required to handle that much of carbon emission.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/heavy-industry-ministry-sanctions-5-595-ebuses-under-fame-ii-43777"><span style="color:#00923E;">Heavy Industry Ministry sanctions 5,595 e-buses under FAME II</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectrabyd-rolls-out-its-100th-electric-bus-in-india-42305"><span style="color:#00923E;">Olectra-BYD rolls out its 100th electric bus in India</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The company will focus on its core business of manufacturing electric vehicles.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ed73de29-a774-48b8-8e30-ec58f681a218.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ed73de29-a774-48b8-8e30-ec58f681a218.jpg&h=485&w=73543783https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectra-greentech-to-sell-subsidiary-to-meil-holdings--will-focus-on-ev-business-43783
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectra-greentech-to-sell-subsidiary-to-meil-holdings--will-focus-on-ev-business-43783Fri, 09 Aug 2019 15:44:00Kodiak Robotics delivers first self-driving trucks in Texas<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a1800ea8-c3c3-40a1-8f52-a586964adf76.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Kodiak Robotics, the US-based startup developing self-driving technology to revolutionise long-haul trucking has started making its first commercial deliveries with a safety driver behind the wheel. Kodiak claims to have achieved this milestone in&nbsp;16 months after the company was formed. Kodiak also announced it will be supporting its growing testing and freight operations from a new facility in&nbsp;North Texas.</strong></p>
<p>Kodiak operates as a true freight carrier, with self-driving trucks operating on &lsquo;middle mile&rsquo; highway routes. Since the company&#39;s founding in&nbsp;April 2018, Kodiak has grown from an idea to a reality, with a growing fleet of trucks and the launch of freight operations for customers in&nbsp;Texas.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Don Burnette, CEO and co-founder of Kodiak Robotics said, &quot;We could not be more excited to announce our expansion into&nbsp;Texas, with an office in the DFW area. In just over a year, we&#39;ve gone from founding Kodiak to putting our trucks on the road and hauling freight for customers. Making such rapid progress wouldn&#39;t be possible without our strong, experienced team, who&#39;ve been working with autonomous vehicles since the early days of the industry. As industry veterans, we&#39;ve seen where self-driving technology has fallen short, and have a clear vision for how to make it work and work safely.&quot;</p>
<p>Kodiak&#39;s self-driving trucks are poised to revolutionise the freight industry as its technology will make highways safer while reducing the cost of carrying freight and, for longer routes, the time it takes to move goods. Kodiak&#39;s expansion will further&nbsp;Texas&#39;&nbsp;leadership in logistics and transportation.</p>
<p>Paz Eshel, COO and co-founder of Kodiak Robotics said, &quot;From Governor Abbott to the Department of Public Safety to the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas A&amp;M Transportation Institute (TTI), we&#39;ve received nothing but support. We look forward to continuing to build meaningful community partnerships in&nbsp;Texas, and helping to make sure that&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;is the home of autonomous trucking.&quot;</p>
<p>Thomas Bamonte, senior program manager, Automated Vehicles, for the North Central Texas Council of Governments. &quot;As a region adding more than 1 million new residents each decade, it is important to develop a comprehensive strategy for the safe and reliable movement of people and goods. Our policy officials on the Regional Transportation Council have been very forward-thinking in their recognition of technology as part of the answer, which is positioning our region as a leader in the automated vehicle industry.&quot;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dr&nbsp;Christopher Poe, TTI assistant agency director and connected automated transportation strategy lead said, &quot;Texas&nbsp;is a leader in the testing and implementation of connected and automated vehicles, and Kodiak&#39;s willingness to partner with academia and public agencies to ensure safe deployment of new technology will add significant value to our transportation system.&quot;</p>
<p>Kodiak Robotics is backed by Battery Ventures, CRV, Lightspeed Ventures and Task Ventures.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="409" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kqCfdWMo13M" width="727"></iframe></p>
<![CDATA[Kodiak Robotics will support its growing freight operations from its new facility in North Texas]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a1800ea8-c3c3-40a1-8f52-a586964adf76.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a1800ea8-c3c3-40a1-8f52-a586964adf76.jpg&h=485&w=73543761https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/kodiak-robotics-delivers-first-selfdriving-trucks-in-texas-43761
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/kodiak-robotics-delivers-first-selfdriving-trucks-in-texas-43761Wed, 07 Aug 2019 10:27:00Maruti Super Carry gains market share in a tough Q1 FY2020<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/90d56f26-9813-468f-8209-61fa38b9906e.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>At a time when overall commercial vehicle sales are falling massively, with all key segments including M&amp;HCV and LCV goods and passenger carriers seeing a sales decline, Maruti Suzuki India&rsquo;s mini-truck &ndash; the Super Carry &ndash;&nbsp; has gained market share in the 2-tonne mini-truck segment. This, while the mini-truck market leader Tata Motors and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra have both registered sales declines.</strong></p>
<p>Between April-June 2019, the total LCV segment has fallen by 5 percent to 133,927 units. The goods carrier segment, which has the lion&rsquo;s share in the segment, sold a total of 118,059 units (-5.4%). The 2T mini-truck segment, the second largest behind the pickups, has declined by 9.2 percent to 46,545 units in Q1.</p>
<p>Tata Motors with its Ace range of small trucks is the segment leader with 63 percent market share with sales of 29,388 units, a drop of 13 percent year on year.&nbsp;<em>Autocar Professional&rsquo;s</em>&nbsp;data suggests the Ace small CV, which sold 9,911 units in April, dropped significantly to 7,642 units in May and crossed the 9,000-unit mark in June.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, the second-largest player in the segment, which retails the Jeeto small truck registered a market share of 22.4 percent with a sale of 10,440 units, down 13.4 percent. The Jeeto clocked its best Q1 FY2020 sales of 2,606 units in April, after which numbers dropped to 2,355 in May and 1,903 in June 2019.</p>
<p>The Maruti Suzuki Super Carry, a late entrant in the segment, has now emerged as No. 3 in the segment, growing its market share in the process. In Q1 FY2020, Maruti Suzuki retailed 6,568 Super Carrys against 4,873 units in the same period a year ago, marking 34.7 percent growth and expanding its market share to 14.1 percent. The monthly numbers are relatively steady for the Carry which sold 2,319 units in April, followed by 2,232 and 2017 units respectively in May and June. During the same period, the company has also shipped 1,019 units to overseas markets including some African countries.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Ashok Leyland Dost sees improved sales traction &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></strong><br>
The 2-3.5T pickup segment, which comprises the bulk of the small CV sales, sold a total of 61,621 units in Q1 FY2020, down 2.7 percent (Q1 FY2019: 63,337 units.). In this high-growth segment, M&amp;M with its popular Bolero range of pickups remains way ahead of its rivals with a market share of 60 percent. M&amp;M sold a total of 37,028 units, down 5.8 percent. Tata Motors, which retails the Super Ace and Xenon pickups in the segment, sold 12,397 units (-5%) garnering a market share of 20 percent. On the other hand, Chennai-based Ashok Leyland which only retails the Dost small CV, has emerged the No. 3 player. Ashok Leyland sold a total of 11,438 Dosts in Q1 FY2020 (+11%) to have a market share of 18.5 percent.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/SMALL%20CV%20SALES.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 306px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[In Q1 FY2020, Maruti Suzuki retailed 6,568 Super Carrys, marking 34.7 percent YoY growth and expanding its market share to 14.1 percent.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/90d56f26-9813-468f-8209-61fa38b9906e.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/90d56f26-9813-468f-8209-61fa38b9906e.jpg&h=485&w=73543753https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-gains-market-share-in-a-tough-q1-fy2020-43753
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-gains-market-share-in-a-tough-q1-fy2020-43753Tue, 06 Aug 2019 14:44:00Daimler Buses develops flexible, modular EV charging concept<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b97c26a9-dd1f-4e33-94e2-d34080ac786d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Preparing for the market launch of high-output charging, Daimler&nbsp;Buses has equipped its Mannheim bus plant in Germany with a central charging station for the fully-electric eCitaro. It can also be used to provide the newly released eCitaro with electricity via a pantograph.</strong></p>
<p>The special feature of this charging station is that the charging devices are suspended at a height of around five metres above the ground. The station serves to charge the eCitaro as part of the production process and ahead of delivery to customers. Plus, new charging technologies such as charging management, new communications protocols, new hardware for charging using a cable or a roof-mounted pantograph can be tried and tested. What&#39;s more, the infrastructure is expandable as required.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Compatible with all common charging technologies</span></strong><br />
The charging station is compatible with all common charging technologies: 150&nbsp;kW cable-bound charging, 300&nbsp;kW rapid charging using a pantograph on the bus roof and 300&nbsp;kW rapid charging using a permanently installed set of charging rails on the roof of the bus. In technical jargon, the latter is referred to as an inverted pantograph.</p>
<p>All four parking bays are setup to handle the particularly common cable-bound charging of the eCitaro. And in line with this, it can handle the different charging systems of two manufacturers. Using them, buses can be charged with an output of 150&nbsp;kW. Two parking bays additionally offer rapid charging via the vehicle roof; one uses a pantograph, the other uses charging rails. In both cases, the charging output is 300&nbsp;kW. The entire system has a modular design to ensure that it can be expanded as required.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Trading places</span></strong><br />
As space in the bus plant is at a premium, Mercedes-Benz has decided to move off the ground, installing the eCitaro charging station at the height of the upper floor of the building. An idea which many transport companies also use. It doesn&#39;t just save space, it also protects against costly accidents between manoeuvring buses and the charging technology.</p>
<p>The electric charging station is located directly behind the vehicle handover hall and thus has a strategically interesting location. To save electrically-powered city buses from having to carry out complex manoeuvring, the charging station has been built in a space-saving way to resemble a bridge. The city buses drive straight under the charging station and park right there for charging.</p>
<p>The charging station has four parking bays. It uses four charging devices with 150&nbsp;kW output each and two with 300&nbsp;kW each. The six charging devices enjoy shared use by three different technologies and two different manufacturers. The total connection power at the charging station is an impressive 1.2&nbsp;megawatts. The corresponding cables are roughly as thick as a human arm and run in an extendible cable channel in the ground.</p>
<p>The charging station is positioned on a total of ten pillars and is accessible from all sides. For service purposes, wide steps lead up to the charging devices on the upper deck, as it were. These are protected against the influences of the weather by means of a roof.</p>
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<![CDATA[The charging station uses four charging devices with 150 kW output each and two with 300 kW each. The six charging devices enjoy shared use by three different technologies and two different manufacturers.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b97c26a9-dd1f-4e33-94e2-d34080ac786d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b97c26a9-dd1f-4e33-94e2-d34080ac786d.jpg&h=485&w=73543740https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-buses-develops-flexible--modular-ev-charging-concept-43740
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-buses-develops-flexible--modular-ev-charging-concept-43740Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:58:00Delhi-based Euler Motors to launch electric SCV in 2020<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/eec8abde-64fd-4700-9d49-dd08105a03a3.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Indian start-up scenario is looking at electric mobility as the next big evolution, and not a day passes by without a&nbsp;new player&nbsp;announcing its intent and plans to make the most of the trend. Delhi-based Euler Motors, an automotive technology start-up focussed on EVs, has announced its plan to launch a electric three-wheeler in the small commercial vehicle category in first half of 2020.</strong></p>
<p>The company claims says it has around 100 prototype EVs are already running on the Delhi-NCR roads used by companies like BigBasket, EcomExpress, BlueDart and Udaan among others for their last-mile delivery.</p>
<p>The company founded in 2018 has so far raised $2 million (Rs 13.81 crore) from investors like Blume Venture, Emergent Ventures and Andrew Lee to set-up the manufacturing and R&amp;D facility, developing indigenous lithium-ion battery pack and hiring talent. Euler Motors says its R&amp;D team is focused on building automotive-grade lithium-ion battery pack that could deliver the range required for intra-city logistics in all-weather, temperatures and road conditions.</p>
<p>At present the company makes a 5.76KWh lithium-ion battery pack for its vehicles. Concurrently, it has set up charging and service stations, combining hardware and software to bring&nbsp;components like powertrain control system, battery and thermal management system, telematics and data-driven approach to fine-tune performance, and improve efficiencies of last-mile logistics. The company claims it has installed over 70 EV charging stations within Delhi-NCR.</p>
<p>The company is founded by Saurav Kumar,&nbsp;who previously co-founded Cube26 Software, a mobile technology platform that was acquired by Paytm at the beginning of 2018.</p>
<p>Commenting on the company&#39;s strategy, Saurav Kumar, founder and CEO, Euler Motors said, &ldquo;Euler Motors is working towards providing sustainable last-mile transportation by accelerating the adoption of EVs.&nbsp;We understand the challenges of the sector, but we believe that our indigenously created battery pack and upcoming innovation in light commercial vehicles will set industry standard and thereby helping ecommerce companies, logistics providers and independent fleet owner.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Arpit Agarwal, part of the investment team at Blume Ventures, said, &ldquo;Alongside being electric, vehicles are increasingly becoming autonomous, shared and connected. It brings a whole new paradigm in the automotive industry that incumbents are not fully prepared for. Euler Motors represents a new crop of auto companies that are born in the software-first era. Saurav and the team were able to understand the paradigm of Total Cost of Ownership parity ahead of the market and built a product with a business model that has no parallel in India. As a result, they have seen demand of their products far exceeding their production capacity. We have immense faith in their ability to build this business quickly to a scale that will make them synonymous with commercial electric vehicles in India&rdquo;.</p>
<p>The company claims that at present the range of the electric small CV, which has a payload capacity of 500kg,&nbsp;is 80-100km.&nbsp;The company carries out its research, manufacturing&nbsp;and assembly operations from its two centres in Faridabad, Haryana and Okhla Industrial Area, New Delhi.&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The company says it has raised $2 million in pre-Series A from Blume Ventures, Emergent Ventures and Andrew Lee, and already has over 100 prototype vehicles running in Delhi.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/eec8abde-64fd-4700-9d49-dd08105a03a3.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/eec8abde-64fd-4700-9d49-dd08105a03a3.jpg&h=485&w=73543712https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/delhibased-euler-motors-to-launch-electric-scv-in-2020-43712
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/delhibased-euler-motors-to-launch-electric-scv-in-2020-43712Thu, 01 Aug 2019 16:35:00Traton Group's operating profit rises 25% to over 1 billion euros in H1 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/020cfa3d-954a-4bfa-86cb-de13731354c0.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Traton Group, which comprises the MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões&nbsp;e&nbsp;Ônibus commercial vehicle brands, has announced robust first half-year results. During the first six months of this year, the Group increased its operating profit by 212 million euros compared with the prior-year period to over 1 billion euros. The Group generated sales revenue of 13.5 billion euros (previous year: 12.6 billion euros), representing a 7% increase compared with the first six months of 2018.</strong></p>
<p>During the first six months of 2019, the Traton Group sold 123,336 vehicles worldwide, up 10% YoY. This growth was driven primarily by the continued favourable development of the core markets in Europe, especially Germany, and Brazil. However, order intakes in the Industrial Business segment at 120,491 units duringH1 2019&nbsp;was 6% below the same period of 2018, driven by a decline in truck orders in the EU28+2 region, Russia, India, and Turkey as well as lower orders for buses in Mexico, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The ratio of order intake to sales (book-to-bill ratio) was 0.98 in the first half of 2019.</p>
<p>Andreas Renschler, the CEO of Traton Group and member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen&nbsp;AG, said: &ldquo;Our IPO in June demonstrates that we at Traton are executing on our goals. Looking forward, we are now running full steam ahead with implementing our Global Champion Strategy and leveraging additional synergies in the entire Group. At the same time, we are keeping a very watchful eye on developments in the market in order to adjust our production with flexibility.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Traton Group operates in two segments: Industrial Business and Financial Services.</p>
<p>The&nbsp;Industrial Business segment&nbsp;comprises the three operating units MAN Truck &amp; Bus, Scania Vehicles &amp; Services, and Volkswagen Caminhões&nbsp;e&nbsp;Ônibus. During the first half of 2019, this&nbsp;segment generated sales revenue of 13.3&nbsp;billion euros (previous year: 12.1&nbsp;billion euros), with an operating profit of 1,008&nbsp;million euros (previous year: 787&nbsp;million euros). The significant increase in sales revenue of 10% was in particular due to the new vehicle business, driven by strong growth in the truck business. There was slight growth in the after sales business.</p>
<p>The&nbsp;Financial Services segment&nbsp;offers customers a wide range of financial services, including dealer and retail financing, leasing, and insurance products. During the first half of 2019, this segment recorded an operating profit of 70&nbsp;million euros (previous year: 65&nbsp;million euros) and sales revenue of 419&nbsp;million euros (previous year: 380&nbsp;million euros).</p>
<p>Christian Schulz, CFO of the Traton Group, said: &ldquo;We had a strong start to the year and have again improved on our growth of the first quarter. With an operating return on sales of 7.9% for the first half of 2019, we are clearly ahead of the same period last year. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, despite continued worsening economic indicators, we remain confident and reaffirm our targets set for the year. And furthermore, we are fully focused on the launch of the new truck generation at MAN.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How MAN, Scania and VWCO fared in H1</span></strong><br />
The&nbsp;<strong>MAN</strong>&nbsp;brand in H1 2019 recorded unit sales of 54,028 vehicles (+10%). In addition to the boost in the sales of trucks, the MAN&nbsp;TGE van series contributed continued significant growth to this figure. Sales revenue of the MAN&nbsp;Truck&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Bus operational unit rose by around 6% to 5.5&nbsp;billion euros. At 253&nbsp;million euros, operating profit in the first half of 2019 was down from the prior-year figure (previous year: 285&nbsp;million euros), which is reflected in an operating return on sales of 4.6% (previous year: 5.5%).</p>
<p>The&nbsp;premium <strong>Scania</strong>&nbsp;brand sold 51,524 trucks and buses in H1 2019, up 10% year on year. Sales revenue of the Scania&nbsp;Vehicles&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Services operational unit rose by around 13% to 7.1&nbsp;billion euros. As a result of this strong volume growth, operating profit increased by around 34% to 828&nbsp;million euros during the reporting period. The successful rollout of Scania&#39;s New Truck Generation in Latin America and Asia (including India) meant that the previous parallel production of old and new series was ended altogether. The operating return on sales of Scania&nbsp;Vehicles&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Services for the first six months of the year was 11.6% (previous year: 9.8%).</p>
<p><strong>VWCO</strong>, with tailor-made products, has continuously held a leading position in the Brazilian truck market over the past 15&nbsp;years. During the first half of 2019, deliveries of VWCO increased by just over 18% to 20,384 units, with brand sales revenue of 860&nbsp;million euros (previous year: 674&nbsp;million euros). VWCO recorded operating profit of 18&nbsp;million euros (previous year: 13&nbsp;million euros). The operating return on sales was 2.1% (previous year: 2.0%).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Positive sales performance in core markets</span></strong><br />
Despite the overall favorable sales performance during the first half of 2019, the high pace of growth of the past year has slowed slightly.</p>
<p>During the first half of 2019, truck unit sales of the Traton brands increased by around 12% to 113,112 vehicles, a result considerably above the prior-year figure. This includes the MAN&nbsp;TGE van series (7,266 units), which contributed to the strong growth with more than double the volume from the previous year. Deliveries of buses decreased by around 9% to 10,224 units due to the decline in Iran and Russia.</p>
<p><strong>Truck unit sales</strong>&nbsp;in the EU28+2 region were considerably higher than in the previous year, with Germany contributing a tremendous increase to the result. Unit sales of trucks in other EU28+2 markets also recorded positive growth. Growth in unit sales of trucks in South America differed from region to region. Whereas unit sales rose considerably in Brazil, most of the other South American markets posted huge declines. Especially in Argentina, unit sales declined considerably because of the difficult macroeconomic situation. In the remaining markets, in particular truck unit sales in Russia, Turkey, Iran, and India declined sharply year-on-year.</p>
<p><strong>Bus unit sales</strong>&nbsp;in the EU28+2 region improved slightly compared with the previous year, largely due to the contribution of the France and Sweden markets. Sales in South America were significantly higher than the same period last year, with a considerable increase in unit sales in Brazil in particular. Unit sales fell short of the prior-year level in the remaining markets, due primarily to sharp declines in Mexico and Iran.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Sales revenue increases by 7% to 13.5 billion euros; operating profit up YoY by around 25% to 1.1 billion euros; operating return on sales rises to 7.9%]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/020cfa3d-954a-4bfa-86cb-de13731354c0.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/020cfa3d-954a-4bfa-86cb-de13731354c0.jpg&h=485&w=73543673https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/traton-group operating-profit-rises-25-to-over-1-billion-euros-in-h1-2019-43673
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/traton-group operating-profit-rises-25-to-over-1-billion-euros-in-h1-2019-43673Mon, 29 Jul 2019 21:46:00Mercedes Benz to deliver first export orders of eCitaro electric bus<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/63a865c2-4e5e-46cb-80c0-1dbb8dfd7207.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>After many orders from German transport companies, Mercedes-Benz is now delivering the first export orders for the eCitaro.&nbsp;The company is going to deliver 20 electric buses to transport companies in Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden.</strong></p>
<p>Luxembourg&#39;s Voyages Emile Weber has chosen nine two-door eCitaro buses. These are equipped with the maximum number of twelve high-voltage battery packs delivering a total capacity of 292&nbsp;kWh.&nbsp;Voyages Emile Weber has over 600 vehicles, ranging from minibuses to luxury coaches, of which numerous buses from Mercedes-Benz.</p>
<p>Norgesbuss, a group with a total of more than 700 buses, is one of Norway&#39;s leading bus operators. The company has ordered six eCitaro buses which will be operating in the capital, Oslo. Ten high-voltage battery packs with a capacity of 243&nbsp;kWh provide the electricity for the three-door buses. There are also pantographs on the roof for intermediary charging to extend the vehicle&#39;s range. In Scandinavia, an alcohol tester in the driver&#39;s area is part of the equipment. For operation during winter, the floor areas near to the entrances are heated.</p>
<p>Bergkvarabuss has ordered five eCitaro buses in the town of Ystad in Sweden. The two-door rigid buses are equipped with the full complement of twelve high-voltage battery packs with a total capacity of 292&nbsp;kWh. The extensive safety and interior equipment of the vehicles includes an alcohol tester for the driver, folding ramps for both doors, a passenger compartment signal system with the visual and tactile response, ambient lighting and upholstered single seats with high backrests and leather headrests. With over 1000 buses, Bergkvarabuss is one of the largest bus companies in Europe.</p>
<p>Ulrich Bastert, head of marketing, sales and customer services at Daimler Buses: &quot;The orders from well-known companies from Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden show the wide range of variants of the eCitaro available. It can be adapted to a wide range of different requirements.&quot;</p>
<p><img alt="Mercedes Benz eCitaro" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/18C0613_013.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Mercedes Benz eCitaro"></p>
<p>The basic version of the 20 eCitaro models from the three orders varies greatly. What the buses have in common, however, is the high-quality equipment and double glazing, the electrically operated pivot-and-slide doors, comfortable Inter Star Eco seating for intercity operations and USB sockets for charging mobile devices.</p>
<![CDATA[Mercedes Benz eCitaro buses will be plying across the towns of Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden and will come equipped with standard features that include a battery pack of 243 kWh.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/63a865c2-4e5e-46cb-80c0-1dbb8dfd7207.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/63a865c2-4e5e-46cb-80c0-1dbb8dfd7207.jpg&h=485&w=73543671https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mercedes-benz-to-deliver-first-export-orders-of-ecitaro-electric-bus-43671
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mercedes-benz-to-deliver-first-export-orders-of-ecitaro-electric-bus-43671Mon, 29 Jul 2019 18:26:00Eicher unveils new bus and chassis for urban applications<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e189632e-8445-4d2d-a8e4-7fbcf6c8c611.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Eicher Trucks and Buses, part of&nbsp;VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), showcased its latest range at the second edition of Prawaas 2019<em>, </em>the&nbsp;India International Bus and Car Travel show, in Navi Mumbai between July 25-27. The showcase included the newly introduced Eicher 3009L&nbsp;Skyline Pro Staff AC Bus and Eicher 20.15R 12m bus chassis.</strong></p>
<p>Eicher claims that the new 20.15 R 12m bus chassis is unique and&nbsp;tailor-made for intercity applications. It comes equipped with an AC compressor and two alternators of 120 Amperes each &ndash; making the body-building process faster and less expensive. It also comes with a 425-litre fuel tank, eliminating the need for en-route fueling stops. The robust &lsquo;DOMEX&rsquo; chassis delivers extremely high strength and durability, while tilt and telescopic power steering, 6-speed overdrive gearbox and air suspensions ensure a safe and comfortable ride.&nbsp;The bus offers best-in-class fuel efficiency with the use of Volvo Group engine management system EMS 3.0, coupled with new-generation features such as cruise control and real-time fuel coaching where the driver is continuously guided on most effective driving.</p>
<p>Eicher Trucks and Buses also introduced the Skyline Pro bus range with a refreshed look. The Skyline Pro 3009L AC bus on display was customised with luxurious Harita Magnum Push back seats with 3-point ELR seat belt, in 2x1 seating configuration and air suspension for added comfort.</p>
<p>These latest innovations stem from Eicher&rsquo;s commitment towards developing vehicles with best-in-class fuel efficiency, higher productivity with superior uptime and using modern features relevant to India and the developing markets. These buses have been designed on the concept of&nbsp;&lsquo;Smart Journeys that offers Smart Design, Smart technologies, Smart features&rsquo;&nbsp;for safer and sustainable mobility across India.</p>
<p>With this introduction, Eicher&rsquo;s bus range has been further augmented with variants across different applications for schools, staff, route permit and intercity segment.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong> <strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/prawaas-2019-makes-a-strong-pitch-for-emobility-43654"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Prawaas 2019 makes a strong pitch for e-mobility</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Eicher showcased its entire range for the applications including schools, staff, route permit and intercity segment.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e189632e-8445-4d2d-a8e4-7fbcf6c8c611.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e189632e-8445-4d2d-a8e4-7fbcf6c8c611.jpg&h=485&w=73543661https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-new-bus-and-chassis-for-urban-applications-43661
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-new-bus-and-chassis-for-urban-applications-43661Mon, 29 Jul 2019 11:52:00Mahindra unveils BS-VI ready Cruzio ICV bus<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f0d34332-8799-4307-80f2-9cb1c8460494.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra Truck and Bus Division (MTBD), today unveiled Mahindra Cruzio, its brand-new range of bus based on its latest Intermediate Commercial Vehicles (ICV) platform. The Cruzio is aimed at the employee transport segment, which also marks the company&rsquo;s debut in the popular Lastwagen Pullman Overhang (LPO) segment of buses which is gaining momentum as it offers an enhanced consumer experience.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Speaking on the occasion, Rajan Wadhera, president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;The unveiling of the new Cruzio bus range marks a defining moment for our Truck and Bus business as we have taken our ICV bus platform to the next level of customer experience. Being BS VI ready, the Cruzio is all set to be a game changer, and is one of the safest, most ergonomic and comfortable buses that will set new standards in the market. Going forward, we will also launch the school and stage bus variants to further increase our portfolio.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/IMG_20190725_181843.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p>Vinod Sahay, CEO, Mahindra Truck and Bus and Construction Equipment Divisions, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra added, &ldquo;The Cruzio demonstrates Mahindra&rsquo;s ability to bring the best to Indian customers, and was developed on the basis of meticulously gathered consumer insights. Bus operators in this segment are clearly looking for a solution that can balance end-user benefits, as well as helping them optimise costs. I am confident that similar to the Blazo X HCV and Furio ICV range, the Cruzio LPO bus range will also set new benchmarks for performance, earnings and deliver better value to our customers.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Mahindra says in terms of the safety perspective, the Cruzio meets the Rollover Test norms as per AIS 031 and the BUS Body code as per AIS 052. It is also compliant with the latest regulatory requirements of AIS 153, which has stringent noise and vibration standards. The company says the bus range offers enhanced visibility in both day and night and bigger brakes for efficient braking performance with short stopping distances. It has the highest ground clearance in the category to avoid damage to bumpers.</p>
<p>In addition, Cruzio offers best-in-class seat width with seats that are contoured and ergonomically designed to provide full back support. A broad gangway and improved parabolic suspension lead for better ride comfort. In terms of engine, the Cruzio is equipped with Mahindra FuelSmart Technology to optimise fuel consumption. It is also equipped with an Intelligent Driver Information System (DIS) for easy driving with all the useful information available on the Instrument Cluster to help improve driver productivity and safety.</p>
<![CDATA[Mahindra debuts in the LPO segment with the Cruzio.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f0d34332-8799-4307-80f2-9cb1c8460494.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f0d34332-8799-4307-80f2-9cb1c8460494.jpg&h=485&w=73543649https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-unveils-bsvi-ready-cruzio-icv-bus-43649
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-unveils-bsvi-ready-cruzio-icv-bus-43649Thu, 25 Jul 2019 18:34:00Ashok Leyland launches new-generation Oyster midi-bus <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9de250cd-26d4-4285-b12a-b9316ffdd7a0.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Chennai-based commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland today launched Oyster midi-bus, its next-generation premium AC bus.</strong></p>
<p>The company says&nbsp;the multi-purpose bus, which has been&nbsp;designed and manufactured in-house, makes an good&nbsp;choice for executive staff and tourist transport. The bus has an appealing design, plush interiors and offers convenience&nbsp;features. The company claims the Oyster offers the best-in-class AC midi-bus with a segment-best seating capacity of 41 reclining seats for passengers.</p>
<p>The Oyster is powered by the company&#39;s H-Series 4-cylinder&nbsp;iEGR diesel BS-VI compliant engine, which produces 95kW of power and 450 Nm of torque. The vehicle is rollover compliant&nbsp;and meets the latest Bus code norms - AIS 052, AIS 140 and AIS 153.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20Mr_Anuj%20Kathuria%2C%20Mr_Sanjay%20Saraswat%20-Oyster%20Launch-25th%20July%20Mumbai.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 619px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>L-R: Anuj Kathuria, COO, Ashok Leyland, and Sanjay Saraswat,&nbsp;head, M&amp;HCV&nbsp;Business,&nbsp;at the launch of the Oyster in Mumbai.</em></p>
<p>Commenting on the Oyster bus launch, Anuj Kathuria, COO, Ashok Leyland, said: &quot;Ashok Leyland buses are known for their reliability and low cost of operations, which has led to our leadership in the bus segment. We have been introducing products and technologies which are ahead of the curve and which become industry standard. With Oyster, which is already a huge success in the international market, we intend to further our leadership positioning.&quot;</p>
<p>Sanjay Saraswat, head, Medium &amp; Heavy Commercial Vehicle Business, Ashok Leyland, said: &quot;Commuters are increasingly having to spend more time on their commute and there is a need in the market for a comfortable and safe transport solution. The Oyster is such a product which meets this need and makes the commute a pleasant experience. The bus has the latest and best in terms of technology and is in line with customer expectations. We are glad to have the opportunity to begin the change towards ergonomically designed, aesthetically appealing and superior performance vehicles for mass transportation of citizens.&quot;</p>
<![CDATA[The company claims Oyster offers the best-in-class AC midi-bus with a segment- best seating capacity of 41 passengers.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9de250cd-26d4-4285-b12a-b9316ffdd7a0.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9de250cd-26d4-4285-b12a-b9316ffdd7a0.jpg&h=485&w=73543646https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-launches-newgeneration-oyster-midibus-43646
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-launches-newgeneration-oyster-midibus-43646Thu, 25 Jul 2019 16:05:00Tata Motors delivers 40 Ultra electric buses to J&K State Transport Corp<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/302ec172-5a9d-43aa-9993-e7a2de828aa5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><b><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/tata%20motors?search=tata%20motors"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></a> has supplied 40 Ultra electric buses to the Jammu &amp; Kashmir State Transport Corporation (JKSRTC). The 9-metre-long, 900mm floor height, non-AC buses are operational in the state.</b></p>
<p>The buses were flagged off by the governor of Jammu, Satya Pal Malik, in the presence of Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Union Minister for Heavy Industries &amp; Public Enterprises with other dignitaries from JKSRTC and Tata Motors. Some of these buses are plying on the difficult terrain on the Jammu to Katra (Vaishno Devi) route and these electric buses will also operate in the Srinagar valley.</p>
<p>Tata Motors says 20 buses in Jammu were commissioned earlier this year and 20 more buses were flagged off at an event held recently.</p>
<p>Commenting on the occasion, Rohit Srivastava, vice-president and product line head &ndash; Passenger Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, said, &ldquo;With growing environmental concerns, electric buses will be extremely vital for mass transit because they are not only energy efficient but also reduce&nbsp;overall cost per kilometres. Tata Motors has always been at the forefront of the e-mobility evolution and this order from JKSRTC is a testament of our excellent range of buses built for STUs in India. Our in-depth understanding of sustainable public transport for different markets and customers has helped us differentiate from our competitors. The electric buses will play an integral role in reduction of pollution load in the congested areas of our metropolis. We are determined to develop alternate fuel technologies and create more energy efficient vehicles thereby supporting the government&rsquo;s efforts towards promoting electric vehicles in the country.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Manufactured at Tata Motors&#39; Dharwad plant, the Ultra electric bus&nbsp;has a range of up to 150km on a single charge. The indigenously designed bus has its lithium-ion batteries placed on the rooftop to prevent breakdown due to water-logging. The batteries are liquid-cooled to maintain the temperature within an optimum range and ensure longer life along with better performance in tropical conditions.</p>
<p>Dr. A K Jindal, head engineering (Electric &amp; Defence), CVBU, Tata Motors said, &ldquo;Tata Motors has been engaging in advanced engineering and development of electric traction system for hybrid as well as pure EVs for over a decade. The Ultra electric bus is a new modular platform, which has been developed in a very short lead-time of less than a year, leveraging the knowledge and experience we have gained and demonstrating our commitment to the government of India&rsquo;s National Electric Mobility Mission Plan for Public Transport. The architecture of the platform has been conceived and developed by Tata Motors&#39; in-house engineering team, meeting the requirement of various tenders floated by different state transport undertakings. The exterior has been designed with new brand identity that includes stylized Ultra headlamps and streamlined looks. The vehicle architecture ensures very low energy consumption and low TCO (total cost of operation) apart from being a Zero Emission environment friendly bus.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Ultra e-bus&nbsp;is powered by an integrated electric motor generator&nbsp;built on existing proven platforms of Starbus and Ultra. With a max power of 245KW and continuous power of 145KW, the buses have a seating capacity of 31 + 1D seats. Tata Motors says the buses will help reduce fuel cost by 50 percent and 20 percent better energy consumption and lower maintenance downtime as compared to diesel buses. As an industry first, there will be air suspension for both front and rear axles to make travel more comfortable for the commuters. Integrated electric motor generator with a peak power of 333HP can deliver 197HP continuously ensuring effortless driving in congested roads and frequent start stops needing no shifting of gears.</p>
<p>Tata Motors&#39; says the critical electrical traction components have been sourced from international suppliers in USA, Germany and China. The buses have been tested and validated by Tata Motors across states including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra to establish performance in diverse terrains. The company has tenders to supply 255 electric buses to six public transport undertakings including WBTC (West Bengal), LCTSL (Lucknow), AICTSL (Indore), ASTC (Guwahati), JKSRTC (Jammu) and JCTSL (Jaipur). In addition to this, the company is also working on developing its electric mini-bus segment in the near future.</p>
<![CDATA[Tata Motors has also set up charging stations for fast charging of buses]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/302ec172-5a9d-43aa-9993-e7a2de828aa5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/302ec172-5a9d-43aa-9993-e7a2de828aa5.jpg&h=485&w=73543609https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-delivers-40-ultra-electric-buses-to-j&k-state-transport-corp-43609
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-delivers-40-ultra-electric-buses-to-j&k-state-transport-corp-43609Mon, 22 Jul 2019 17:53:00Government may ban registration of intra-city ICE buses from 2026 <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c5ce8dfd-ab8b-4f8a-b43d-bb8291708f60.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Indian government is plugging in all points to make electric mobility a reality in India. With each passing day, there seems to be a growing interest among various ministries to come out with some supporting policies to make the country a prime example for manufacturing and adoption of environment-friendly vehicles.</strong></p>
<p>It is learnt that the government is now planning to ban the registration of IC-engine buses in the country for intra-city transport starting 2026. Before that year, it is understood that the government proposes to have 30 percent of intra-city buses to be electric.</p>
<p>If the proposal goes through, Indian OEMs will need to up their game to be able to take advantage of the robust order that may come through under the FAME II scheme. What&#39;s more, the government will incentivise around 7,000 buses under the Rs 10,000 crore outlay under the FAME II scheme.</p>
<p>On the other hand, NITI Aayog has already asked two- and three-wheeler makers to come out with a roadmap that will see sales of only electric three-wheelers and electric two-wheelers starting 2023 and 2025 respectively. It has also recommended phase-wise introduction of commercial four-wheelers through fleet owners including taxi aggregators from 2.5 percent in 2020-21 to 40 percent in 2025-26.</p>
<p>To ensure that the EV charging ecosystem is also green, the Centre is working on ensuring that all charging stations are connected with the grid and the power is generated from solar power plants to ensure grid stability and green energy. Proposals are invited from cities that intend to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure in million-plus cities as per the 2011 census.</p>
<p>In FY2019, a total of 39,612 M&amp;HCV passenger carriers (buses) were sold (+9.68%) and 52,170 LCV passenger carriers (+6.47). In the just-ended first quarter of FY2020, a total of 10,361 M&amp;HCV buses (-1.37% and 15,868 LCV buses (-2.19%) have been sold.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/government-invites-bids-for-1-000-ev-charging-stations-under-fame-ii-43541"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Government invites bids for 1,000 EV charging stations under FAME II</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/transport-ministry-questions-indian-states-for-not-passing-on-benefits-to-ev-users-43565"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Transport Ministry questions Indian states for not passing on benefits to EV users</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/captains-of-industry-urge-gst-cut-and-a-scrappage-policy-to-revive-auto-sales-43432"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Captains of industry urge GST cut and a scrappage policy to revive auto sales</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tough-fame-ii-norms-see-only-7-oems-qualify-for-incentives-43441"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tough FAME II norms see only 7 OEMs qualify for incentives</span></a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[It is learnt there could be a mandate banning registration of IC-engine buses for intra-city transport starting 2026. Before that year, it is proposed to have 30 percent of intra-city buses to be electric.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c5ce8dfd-ab8b-4f8a-b43d-bb8291708f60.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c5ce8dfd-ab8b-4f8a-b43d-bb8291708f60.jpg&h=485&w=73543585https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/government-may-ban-registration-of-intracity-ice-buses-from-2026-43585
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/government-may-ban-registration-of-intracity-ice-buses-from-2026-43585Fri, 19 Jul 2019 12:57:00Knorr-Bremse and Continental test platooning demonstrator<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5c799cd0-ea8c-46d1-b777-ec656605af2d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Knorr-Bremse and Continental are taking a further step in their development partnership towards highly automated commercial vehicle driving. For automated platooning or driving in a column), the world market leader for braking systems, and leading supplier of subsystems for rail and commercial vehicles, and the engineering company from Hanover have joined forces to develop the Platooning Demonstrator, based on a platoon of three trucks of different makes. Initial test runs and demonstrations to customers have already been conducted at testing grounds.</strong></p>
<p>The cooperation partners show with this Platooning Demonstrator what driving functions they can develop, jointly with the vehicle manufacturers, for automated driving. This includes the formation of platoons, driving together, the emergency braking function, exiting by individual vehicles and safe splitting up of the entire platoon.</p>
<p>During the development work, special attention is being paid to the process for transferring control from the driver to the vehicle. A key element of this is clear instructions on what to do, which the driver receives via the specially designed human/machine interface. It displays the information graphically and clearly.</p>
<p>This enables the driver to track the status of the system transparently at all times. The transfer itself is initiated on request by the push of a button as soon as the partner vehicle is less than 50 metres away. The synchronous vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) emergency braking function ensures greater traffic safety: By initiating simultaneous braking of all the vehicles, without any delay due to reaction times, the vehicles come to a stop the same distance apart as during driving.</p>
<p>That now gives customers a test platform for platooning regardless of vehicle make, and a basis on which the technology can be further developed. &ldquo;With the Platooning Demonstrator, we&rsquo;ve reached the first milestone of our joint work. The focus now is on exchanging ideas with the vehicle manufacturers for further development of the system solution in line with the product strategies of the customers&rdquo;, says Gilles Mabire, Head of the Commercial Vehicles &amp; Aftermarket Business Unit at Continental.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Automated driving is an evolutionary development. Our experience as a leading supplier of driver assistance products for commercial vehicles is an important foundation. Progress is continuing in the relevant technologies and our understanding of the market is improving. This is changing the conditions for automated driving and the speed at which automated driving functions are introduced. The main focuses in development thus change as well. Flexibility and openness when it comes to customer requirements and implementation routes is the key to our success. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re keen to have close communication with our customers. It means we can present our roadmaps for products and functions, create vehicle demonstrators and react quickly to align our work with customer needs and market requirements,&rdquo; adds Dr. Peter Laier, Member of the Board at Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for its commercial vehicles division. The partners are also gearing up for further development work on automated driving on highways, the so-called Highway Pilot.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Complementary skills for a system solution</span></strong><br />
How well the skills of the two partners complement one another is shown by the technical solution of the Platooning Demonstrator. Continental is responsible for the sensors: The very latest sensor technologies are installed, including cameras and radar and lidar sensors. Together with V2V communication, the environment sensors are a central building block for safely maintaining the very short distance between vehicles during platooning. This short distance apart makes fuel-saving driving possible.</p>
<p>To process the sensor signals &ndash; including those with data from other vehicles (V2V) or on the traffic infrastructure (V2X) &ndash; a development environment is initially being used for the Demonstrator. To do so, the model of the respective environment too is created from the data, enabling self-orientation of the truck. In future, the system will use the central &#39;Assisted &amp; Automated Driving Control Unit&#39; (ADCU) from Continental and &#39;Global Scalable Brake Control&#39; (GSBC) from Knorr-Bremse to supply the input for the driving strategy.</p>
<p>For planning the trajectory, Knorr-Bremse is contributing its expertise in the specific requirements placed on commercial vehicle dynamics. Knorr-Bremse is also implementing the requirements for driving stability (&#39;Motion Control&#39;) and for the actuator level, i.e. converting the driver&rsquo;s decision into specific control processes inside the vehicle, and actuating steering and braking for longitudinal and lateral control.</p>
<p>Finally, Knorr-Bremse is also handling system integration, including validation.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Work on the Highway Pilot is beginning</span></strong><br />
The experience gained during development of the Platooning Demonstrator forms, for both Continental and Knorr-Bremse, the basis for addressing a further application for highly automated driving &ndash; the Highway Pilot. Its aim is to enable highly automated driving by single trucks on highways. A first demonstrator is planned for next year. Starting in 2020, the partners will be ready to develop this technology jointly with the manufacturers.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Cross-manufacturer platooning system demonstrates five central driving functions: forming, driving, emergency braking, exiting by individual vehicles, splitting up]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5c799cd0-ea8c-46d1-b777-ec656605af2d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5c799cd0-ea8c-46d1-b777-ec656605af2d.jpg&h=485&w=73543562https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/knorrbremse-and-continental-test-platooning-demonstrator-43562
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/knorrbremse-and-continental-test-platooning-demonstrator-43562Wed, 17 Jul 2019 20:12:00Tata Motors to continue AMC on 1,000 CNG buses for DTC<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a443e69a-2000-41c9-b0af-4c5fa1aea8e3.jpeg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Delhi Transport Corporation has awarded an extension to Tata Motors&nbsp;for&nbsp;comprehensive annual maintenance of its 1000 CNG buses. </strong></p>
<p>Earlier, between 2007 - 2009, Delhi Transport Corporation had bought and inducted these Tata Motors buses and agreed on a contract of comprehensive annual maintenance of up to 750,000 kms, which was focused on the uptime of busses to serve the city of Delhi. DTC has extended the contract for another 120,000 kms for the 1000 buses for which the contract was about to expire.</p>
<p><img alt="Tata Motors CNG buses for Delhi Transport" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/DTC%20awards%20annual%20Maintenance%20contract%20to%20Tata%20Motors%20%282%29.jpeg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Tata Motors CNG buses for Delhi Transport"></p>
<p>Commenting on this announcement,&nbsp;R. Ramakrishnan, global head customer care, CVBU, Tata Motors, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;We at Tata Motors always provide consistent quality service, backed by new technologies, to ensure our customers have a pleasant after sales experience. The extension of contract is a testimony of our efforts, backed by enhanced tailored-made services, providing DTC customers with a unique experience. We intend to cement our long-lasting relationship with Delhi Transport Corporation in ensuring safe and reliable transport service to the citizens of Delhi who use DTC buses on regular basis.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="Tata CNG bus for Delhi Transport" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/DTC%20awards%20annual%20Maintenance%20contract%20to%20Tata%20Motors.jpeg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Tata CNG bus for Delhi Transport"></p>
<p>&lsquo;Sampoorna Seva&rsquo;, provided by Tata Motors is a complete maintenance solution for commercial vehicles. It is an annual agreement, which&nbsp;helps customers enhance day-to-day operations and ensure long-term performance. This package includes&nbsp;routine maintenance, oil &amp; filters change, hub greasing and all type of aftersales solutions&nbsp;to help increase the longevity and uptime of the vehicles.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Tata Motors’ AMC for CVs that will be done for the Delhi Transport corporation’s 1000 CNG buses will include oil and filters change, hub greasing and all type of aftersales solutions ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a443e69a-2000-41c9-b0af-4c5fa1aea8e3.jpeg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a443e69a-2000-41c9-b0af-4c5fa1aea8e3.jpeg&h=485&w=73543560https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-continue-amc-on-1-000-cng-buses-for-dtc-43560
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-continue-amc-on-1-000-cng-buses-for-dtc-43560Wed, 17 Jul 2019 17:08:00Ashok Leyland’s Pantnagar plant to be shut for 9 days due to weak demand<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/954de0d5-f2f6-42ae-915c-cf7fbbada189.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The ongoing slowdown in the Indian automobile industry and specifically the commercial vehicle industry is having its impact as OEMs are both cutting down on dealer inventory and now also halting production due to weak market demand.</strong></p>
<p>The latest OEM to pause production is Chennai-based commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland.&nbsp;It is learnt that the company&rsquo;s Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand will remain closed from July 16 to July 24, 2019 (both days inclusive) due to &ldquo;weak demand and outlook for the industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Like market leader Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland has been impacted adversely. In June 2019, the company sold a total of 12,085 units (-14.24%) and a total of 38,004 units in Q1 FY2019 (-0.30%).</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Ashok Leyland has, in Q1 FY2020, increased its overall CV market share to 18.25 percent from 16.56 percent in Q1 FY2019,.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While it&rsquo;s early days yet, OEMs will be looking forward to considerable pre-buying of BS IV vehicles months ahead of the BS VI mandate kicking in from April 1, 2020. Till then, however, they will have to contend with slow growth, fluctuation in diesel prices as politics dominates global crude supplies and an uptick in the domestic freight market. These constitute a number of variables, which means the sector will be navigating a potholed road for a few months more. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&amp;amp;hcv-segment-weighs-heavy-on-cv-sector-performance-in-june-43427"><span style="color:#FF0000;">M&amp;HCV segment weighs heavy on CV sector&#39;s performance in June</span></a></strong></p>
<p><em>Images courtesy: Ashok Leyland</em></p>
<![CDATA[ It is learnt that the company’s Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand will remain closed from July 16 to July 24, 2019 (both days inclusive) due to “weak demand and outlook for the industry.”]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/954de0d5-f2f6-42ae-915c-cf7fbbada189.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/954de0d5-f2f6-42ae-915c-cf7fbbada189.jpg&h=485&w=73543523https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland’s-pantnagar-plant-to-be-shut-for-9-days-due-to-weak-demand-43523
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland’s-pantnagar-plant-to-be-shut-for-9-days-due-to-weak-demand-43523Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:23:00Greaves Cotton crosses 1,000 e-rickshaw sales mark<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/926673a0-d3f9-4311-a33c-7a32fd7f6ada.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Greaves Cotton, one of the leading and diversified engineering companies in India with a new focus on electric mobility, has announced that it has crossed sales of 1,000&nbsp;e-rickshaws, given the growing demand&nbsp;for&nbsp;clean and shared mobility in the last mile transportation segment.</strong></p>
<p>According to Greaves Cotton, this energy-efficient and reliable product portfolio&nbsp;of e-rickshaws is seeing growing preference due to superior cost economics, higher savings-per-km of the usage, extensive aftermarket support of spares, service, charging and financing options today. Greaves has been retailing eco-friendly e-rickshaws through a select network of over 325&nbsp;retail outlets .</p>
<p>E-rickshaws have been gaining prominence in short commute point-to-point transportation for shared mobility users. Also, it has been a boon to the unemployed youth and cycle-rickshaw pullers who find this battery-operated and motorised version as a dependable partner to earn and grow.</p>
<p>Accordingg to K Vijayakumar,&nbsp;president, special projects, Greaves Cotton,&nbsp;&ldquo;We have received a favourable response from the users of e-rickshaw, a smartly engineered and rugged e-rickshaw,&nbsp;now accessible&nbsp;from select Greaves Retail outlets across the country. We have seen quick adoption of these e-rickshaws, especially in the East and North India, owing to low TCO giving superior everyday savings and peace of mind due to huge aftermarket assurance from Greaves. With the increasing need for mobility, lack of properly developed public transportation facilities, growing working population, the e-rickshaw market will further grow significantly&rdquo;.</p>
<p>According to Greaves Cotton, some market observations have shown that switching to e-rickshaws has reduced the physical fatigue that these manual/cycle rickshaw pullers were facing earlier and improved their quality of life. Now, these drivers are able to spend more quality time with their family and are earning &nbsp;Rs 200-300 more everyday than what they used to make earlier as it has empowered them to do more trips on a daily basis.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Greaves Cotton, which has seven manufacturing units, manufactures various products under various business units:&nbsp;Greaves Engines, Greaves Power, Greaves Agri, Greaves Aftermarket, Greaves Care, Greaves Global. It has&nbsp;over 325&nbsp;big retail centres and 5,000&nbsp;smaller spare parts retail outlets across the country.</p>
<p>In the mobility segment, the company claims to manufacture 400,000&nbsp;engines annually, almost 1 engine per minute and provides the most affordable mobility solutions to the majority of the population in India, moving more than 1 crore passengers and 5 lakh tonnes of cargo every day. In all, the company has crossed 5 million engines, 3 million pumpsets and 1 million gensets.</p>
<p>Greaves Cotton recently augmented its clean technology portfolio with an entry in the last-mile affordable two-wheeler personal mobility segment with Ampere Electric Vehicles.</p>
<![CDATA[Greaves Cotton’s sale of e-rickshaws is coming mostly from the Northern and Eastern parts of India]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/926673a0-d3f9-4311-a33c-7a32fd7f6ada.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/926673a0-d3f9-4311-a33c-7a32fd7f6ada.jpg&h=485&w=73543504https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/greaves-cotton-crosses-1-000-erickshaw-sales-mark-43504
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/greaves-cotton-crosses-1-000-erickshaw-sales-mark-43504Thu, 11 Jul 2019 16:59:00Greaves Cotton crosses 1,000 e-rickshaw sales mark<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/926673a0-d3f9-4311-a33c-7a32fd7f6ada.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Greaves Cotton, one of the leading and diversified engineering companies in India with a new focus on electric mobility, has announced that it has crossed sales of 1,000&nbsp;e-rickshaws, given the growing demand&nbsp;for&nbsp;clean and shared mobility in the last mile transportation segment.</strong></p>
<p>According to Greaves Cotton, this energy-efficient and reliable product portfolio&nbsp;of e-rickshaws is seeing growing preference due to superior cost economics, higher savings-per-km of the usage, extensive aftermarket support of spares, service, charging and financing options today. Greaves has been retailing eco-friendly e-rickshaws through a select network of over 325&nbsp;retail outlets .</p>
<p>E-rickshaws have been gaining prominence in short commute point-to-point transportation for shared mobility users. Also, it has been a boon to the unemployed youth and cycle-rickshaw pullers who find this battery-operated and motorised version as a dependable partner to earn and grow.</p>
<p>Accordingg to K Vijayakumar,&nbsp;president, special projects, Greaves Cotton,&nbsp;&ldquo;We have received a favourable response from the users of e-rickshaw, a smartly engineered and rugged e-rickshaw,&nbsp;now accessible&nbsp;from select Greaves Retail outlets across the country. We have seen quick adoption of these e-rickshaws, especially in the East and North India, owing to low TCO giving superior everyday savings and peace of mind due to huge aftermarket assurance from Greaves. With the increasing need for mobility, lack of properly developed public transportation facilities, growing working population, the e-rickshaw market will further grow significantly&rdquo;.</p>
<p>According to Greaves Cotton, some market observations have shown that switching to e-rickshaws has reduced the physical fatigue that these manual/cycle rickshaw pullers were facing earlier and improved their quality of life. Now, these drivers are able to spend more quality time with their family and are earning &nbsp;Rs 200-300 more everyday than what they used to make earlier as it has empowered them to do more trips on a daily basis.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Greaves Cotton, which has seven manufacturing units, manufactures various products under various business units:&nbsp;Greaves Engines, Greaves Power, Greaves Agri, Greaves Aftermarket, Greaves Care, Greaves Global. It has&nbsp;over 325&nbsp;big retail centres and 5,000&nbsp;smaller spare parts retail outlets across the country.</p>
<p>In the mobility segment, the company claims to manufacture 400,000&nbsp;engines annually, almost 1 engine per minute and provides the most affordable mobility solutions to the majority of the population in India, moving more than 1 crore passengers and 5 lakh tonnes of cargo every day. In all, the company has crossed 5 million engines, 3 million pumpsets and 1 million gensets.</p>
<p>Greaves Cotton recently augmented its clean technology portfolio with an entry in the last-mile affordable two-wheeler personal mobility segment with Ampere Electric Vehicles.</p>
<![CDATA[Greaves Cotton’s sale of e-rickshaws is coming mostly from the Northern and Eastern parts of India]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/926673a0-d3f9-4311-a33c-7a32fd7f6ada.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/926673a0-d3f9-4311-a33c-7a32fd7f6ada.jpg&h=485&w=73543504https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/greaves-cotton-crosses-1-000-erickshaw-sales-mark-43504
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/greaves-cotton-crosses-1-000-erickshaw-sales-mark-43504Thu, 11 Jul 2019 16:59:00Toyota Professional targets European LCV market<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/34874fe7-bb1a-4b85-a947-e76318070b5d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/toyota?search=toyota"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Toyota</span></a> has announced an ambitious growth plan for its European light commercial vehicle (LCV) business, supported by a strengthened model line-up and an all-new brand &ndash;&nbsp;Toyota Professional.</strong></p>
<p>The Toyota Proace City will go on sale early in 2020, joining the Proace medium duty van (MDV), Hilux pick-up and Land Cruiser Utility Commercial in Toyota&rsquo;s LCV range. Toyota claims that the Proace City will be a competitive and appealing addition to the compact van (CDV) segment, expanding Toyota&rsquo;s coverage to more than two-thirds of the European LCV market. It offers designed-in practicality with excellent load and length capacity, being one of few models that accommodate two Euro pallets.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Proace and Proace City electrification</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Toyota-Proace-City-NOT-UK-SPEC-36.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></strong></p>
<p>Growing concerns about climate change and air quality are leading to new low emission regulations in many European cities. These factors are changing LCV customers&rsquo; requirements and priorities, especially in urban areas. Toyota will address this change in customer needs by introducing BEV (battery electric vehicle) versions of Proace and Proace City in collaboration with Groupe PSA, starting across Europe from 2020 and 2021 respectively.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Toyota-Professional-Logo_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 275px;" title=""><br>
<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Toyota Professional</span></strong><br>
Toyota&rsquo;s new product offensive gives it the opportunity to launch a new LCV brand strategy: Toyota Professional. This initiative will add focus and dedication to LCVs across its European network.</p>
<p>Matt Harrison, Toyota Motor Europe Executive Vice President, said: &ldquo;The expansion and electrification to Toyota Motor Europe&rsquo;s LCV product range will be supported by new Toyota Professional branding. This highlights Toyota&rsquo;s commitment to its growing number of LCV customers and includes a dedicated network to ensure we deliver the right customer experience.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Will the Toyota Professional brand&nbsp;come to India, which has a promising LCV market? Watch this space.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Automaker's new product offensive in Europe gives it the opportunity to launch a new LCV brand strategy: Toyota Professional.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/34874fe7-bb1a-4b85-a947-e76318070b5d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/34874fe7-bb1a-4b85-a947-e76318070b5d.jpg&h=485&w=73543480https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-professional-targets-european-lcv-market-43480
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-professional-targets-european-lcv-market-43480Tue, 09 Jul 2019 14:49:00Toyota Professional targets European LCV market<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/34874fe7-bb1a-4b85-a947-e76318070b5d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/toyota?search=toyota"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Toyota</span></a> has announced an ambitious growth plan for its European light commercial vehicle (LCV) business, supported by a strengthened model line-up and an all-new brand &ndash;&nbsp;Toyota Professional.</strong></p>
<p>The Toyota Proace City will go on sale early in 2020, joining the Proace medium duty van (MDV), Hilux pick-up and Land Cruiser Utility Commercial in Toyota&rsquo;s LCV range. Toyota claims that the Proace City will be a competitive and appealing addition to the compact van (CDV) segment, expanding Toyota&rsquo;s coverage to more than two-thirds of the European LCV market. It offers designed-in practicality with excellent load and length capacity, being one of few models that accommodate two Euro pallets.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Proace and Proace City electrification</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Toyota-Proace-City-NOT-UK-SPEC-36.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></strong></p>
<p>Growing concerns about climate change and air quality are leading to new low emission regulations in many European cities. These factors are changing LCV customers&rsquo; requirements and priorities, especially in urban areas. Toyota will address this change in customer needs by introducing BEV (battery electric vehicle) versions of Proace and Proace City in collaboration with Groupe PSA, starting across Europe from 2020 and 2021 respectively.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Toyota-Professional-Logo_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 275px;" title=""><br>
<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Toyota Professional</span></strong><br>
Toyota&rsquo;s new product offensive gives it the opportunity to launch a new LCV brand strategy: Toyota Professional. This initiative will add focus and dedication to LCVs across its European network.</p>
<p>Matt Harrison, Toyota Motor Europe Executive Vice President, said: &ldquo;The expansion and electrification to Toyota Motor Europe&rsquo;s LCV product range will be supported by new Toyota Professional branding. This highlights Toyota&rsquo;s commitment to its growing number of LCV customers and includes a dedicated network to ensure we deliver the right customer experience.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Will the Toyota Professional brand&nbsp;come to India, which has a promising LCV market? Watch this space.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Automaker's new product offensive in Europe gives it the opportunity to launch a new LCV brand strategy: Toyota Professional.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/34874fe7-bb1a-4b85-a947-e76318070b5d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/34874fe7-bb1a-4b85-a947-e76318070b5d.jpg&h=485&w=73543480https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-professional-targets-european-lcv-market-43480
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-professional-targets-european-lcv-market-43480Tue, 09 Jul 2019 14:49:00KPIT tech-powered Eicher e-buses clock 160,000km in West Bengal<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b5a7cf0-c3f3-4713-ae47-7c8cec38986e.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV)&nbsp;today announced that it has completed a year of a successful run of its electric buses in Kolkata.&nbsp;The Eicher Skyline Pro e-buses,&nbsp;been deployed with West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO),&nbsp;have now clocked over 160,000 kilometres ferrying over 130,000 passengers till now.</strong></p>
<p>The company says the three Eicher Skyline Pro e-buses in operation&nbsp;with WBHIDCO, deployed in May 2018, has been operating seven days a week, averaging 140km per day and delivering 98 percent uptime.&nbsp; The electric buses plying within the New Town Area connecting various corners of the neighbourhood till New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) bus terminus. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-rolls-smart-electric-bus-revolo-tech-27983"><span style="color:#0000FF;">KPIT, the service provider has installed charging stations</span></a> and a workshop at NKDA bus depot and Shapoorji Bus Depot.</p>
<p>The Eicher Skyline Pro e-buses are <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/kpit-ev-solution-starts-operations-kolkata-29424"><span style="color:#0000FF;">powered by Revolo technology, which is an innovative platform</span></a> that operates on a lower voltage and allows regeneration to have the maximum possible range with the smallest possible battery.</p>
<p>The bus maker says it has bagged another order of 40 e-buses to be delivered to BEST&nbsp;Mumbai this year, and it has been actively participating in tenders floated by various State Transport Undertakings and other government agencies.</p>
<p>Commenting on this milestone, B Srinivas, senior vice-president, Sales and Marketing, Buses, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: &ldquo;The country is at the cusp of a new revolution in transportation and is moving swiftly towards electro-mobility. Our deployment for public transport at Kolkata and its successful journey is a testimony of our strong resolve towards environment-friendly mobility solutions. Together with the support infrastructure, we have been able to achieve great results with WBHIDCO.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;The shift to electric vehicle technology will open many avenues for the economy. The new developments with the second phase of the FAME Scheme are further incentivising the move towards electro-mobility, with a view towards achieving the country&rsquo;s 2030 EV Vision. We, too, are aligned with the government and working towards meeting India&rsquo;s mobility needs via the electric platform. VECV believes that such projects will accelerate the progress in India through adaptive mobility solutions and standard-led globally proven technology. The shift to alternative fuel technology will also bring positive implications across environment, social and economic parameters in the long run,&rdquo; added Srinivas.</p>
<![CDATA[The bus maker says it has bagged another order of 40 e-buses to be delivered to BEST, Mumbai in 2019.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b5a7cf0-c3f3-4713-ae47-7c8cec38986e.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b5a7cf0-c3f3-4713-ae47-7c8cec38986e.jpg&h=485&w=73543472https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/kpit-techpowered-eicher-ebuses-clock-160-000km-in-west-bengal-43472
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/kpit-techpowered-eicher-ebuses-clock-160-000km-in-west-bengal-43472Tue, 09 Jul 2019 12:32:00Mahindra Jeeto Load mini-truck turns four, sells nearly 114,000 units<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9d0a38e4-8879-41f0-8fbf-813ec5fdb0c2.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch?search=Mahindra%20&amp;%20Mahindra"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></a>&#39;s Jeeto Load mini-truck has completed four years in the Indian market. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-launches-jeeto-cv-rs-232-lakh-variants-8685"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Launched on June 23, 2015</span></a>, the Jeeto replaced the Mahindra Gio which was phased out.</strong></p>
<p>Since the Jeeto&#39;s launch, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra has sold nearly 114,000&nbsp;units of the Jeeto Load, which is targeted at last-mile transportation of goods. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-rolls-out-100-000th-jeeto-scv-40564"><span style="color:#FF0000;">On August 30, 2018, M&amp;M rolled out the landmark 100,000th Jeeto</span></a>.</p>
<p>In the past few years, India&rsquo;s mini-truck segment (less than 2 tonnes) has seen rapid growth on the back of rising rural market demand and last-mile connectivity.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20Jeeto.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 239px;" title=""></p>
<p>The Jeeto helped M&amp;M, which traditionally has been strong in the 2-3.5-tonne gross vehicle weight (GVW) pick-up segment, to make gains in the mini-truck segment classified as &lsquo;max mass not exceeding 2 tonnes&rsquo; where Tata Motors is the dominant player with its Ace range of mini-trucks. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jeeto-mini-truck-helps-mahindra-mahindra-grab-market-share-tata-motors-10511"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Within the first six months of launch, it helped M&amp;M double its market share</span></a>.</p>
<p>As per <em>Autocar Professional</em>&#39;s estimates, the Jeeto has sold close to 115,000 units since launch four years.<br>
FY2017: 46,271<br>
FY2018: 30,662<br>
FY2019: 31,916<br>
Apr-May: 5,000* (estimated for first 2 months of FY2019)<br>
<strong>Total: 113,849</strong></p>
<p>Powered by the mDura direct Injection diesel engine, M&amp;M says the &nbsp;Jeeto delivers robust fuel efficiency of up to 33.4 kilometres a litre. It also offers lower maintenance costs and the ability to carry varied load options effectively, all of which are aimed at improving earnings of Jeeto transport operators.</p>
<p>The Jeeto is offered with 2 powertrains of 8.2 kW (11hp) and 11.9 Kw (16hp), 2 payloads (600 and 700kg) and 3 deck lengths of 1630mm (5.5 feet), 1780mm (6 feet) and 1930mm (6.5 feet).These combinations are available across a range of 8 mini-trucks, namely S series (S6-11, S6-16), L series (L6-11, L6-16, L7-11, L7-16) and X series (X7-11, X7-16). The Jeeto has a warranty of 2 years/40,000km (whichever comes earlier).</p>
<p>The Jeeto&#39;s highlights include large cabin space, comfortable seats, pleasant driving experience, mobile charging facility and easy manoeuvrability.</p>
<p>Commenting on the Jeeto&#39;s four-year run, Satinder Bajwa, Vice-President &ndash; Small Commercial Vehicles, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, said: &ldquo;The Mahindra Jeeto has been a game- changer in last-mile distribution with its modular range, unmatched versatility and superior fuel efficiency, carrying goods across different segments for the last four years. It has always been our endeavour to understand and address the evolving needs of our customers in areas such as performance, comfort, safety, reliability and profitability.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Four years after its launch, the Jeeto seems to be&nbsp;doing in the marketplace just what its name (in Hindi) signifies.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-&amp;-mahindra%E2%80%99s-q4-fy2019-profit-down-20-at-rs-849-crore-43142"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra&rsquo;s Q4 FY2019 profit down 20% at Rs 849 crore</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[Since launch on June 23, 2015, M&M has sold nearly 114,000 units of the Jeeto, which replaced the Gio and has given the company a new charge in the less than 2-tonne mini-truck market. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9d0a38e4-8879-41f0-8fbf-813ec5fdb0c2.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9d0a38e4-8879-41f0-8fbf-813ec5fdb0c2.jpg&h=485&w=73543468https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-jeeto-load-minitruck-turns-four--sells-nearly-114-000-units-43468
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-jeeto-load-minitruck-turns-four--sells-nearly-114-000-units-43468Mon, 08 Jul 2019 20:21:00Wabco launches new business for global commercial vehicle fleets<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f02ff5d-a81d-486b-b365-c2523bbc2afa.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/wabco?search=wabco"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Wabco</span></a> Holdings, the leading global supplier of braking control systems and other advanced technologies that improve the safety, efficiency and connectivity of commercial vehicles, announced that it has established a new &lsquo;Fleet Solutions&rsquo; organisation which will develop solutions designed to further connect today&rsquo;s complex transportation ecosystem.&nbsp; The new business builds on Wabco&rsquo;s former Aftermarket and its Digital Customer Services units, delivering an organisation that focuses on improving fleet and road transport safety, environmental efficiencies and enables leaner operations. The new business is called &#39;Wabco Fleet Solutions&#39;.</strong></p>
<p>Beyond spare parts and services offering, the expansion of Wabco&rsquo;s digital portfolio will be high on the agenda, including a rapid extension of its Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based technologies for commercial vehicle fleets and transporters globally. Wabco Fleet Solutions is already developing and delivering several of these innovations today, including solutions for fuel efficiency, downtime reduction, regulatory compliance, workforce management and load optimisation, thanks to its advanced&nbsp;Fleet Management Solutions&nbsp;(FMS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud-based technologies.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8D_xl_Ppqt8" width="750"></iframe></p>
<p>Wabco Fleet Solutions will seek to further extend its offering in digital services to better connect the many ecosystem players in transport, including parts distributors, maintenance workshops, goods owners, rental companies, payment service providers and vehicle component providers, to mention but a few. The company&rsquo;s ever expanding digital offering will allow transport operators to continuously improve their connectivity across the ecosystem enabling these to operate in an increasingly leaner, greener and safer manner.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Modern-day transporters face a multitude of challenges in a world that is fast changing, driven by more regulation, higher customer expectations and fast paced technological change,&rdquo; explained Philippe Colpron, Wabco vice president and global fleet solutions leader. &ldquo;And it is here that we want to play a key role; with a significant expansion of our digital IoT enabled and cloud based capabilities we aim to deliver new levels of safety and efficiency for transport operators globally. &nbsp;What makes us unique is that we are blending this advanced digital technology with the many best-in-class services we already offer our customers today to ensure all parts of the ecosystem are connected and effective. Our mission in the extensive and complex transport process is to help the commercial road transport industry achieve zero accidents, maximum environmental efficiency and the delivery of radically leaner operations across their business.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Included in the fleet solutions portfolio will be Wabco&rsquo;s extensive and leading fleet management system suite, the recently launched&nbsp;&lsquo;TX-FUELCOMPASS&rsquo;,&nbsp;&lsquo;TX-TRAILERPULSE&rsquo;&nbsp;and &lsquo;TX-TRAILERFIT&rsquo;, remote diagnostics, a growing portfolio of advanced retrofit solutions, Wabco Academy and an extensive selection of replacement parts including OE original,&nbsp;remanufactured parts,&nbsp;a range of reliable budget parts called&nbsp;&lsquo;ProVia&rsquo;&nbsp;and a wide offering of repair kits distributed across more than 115 countries by over 4,600 distribution points and supported by a network of 3,100 official Wabco Service Partners.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Every kilometer driven has a cost attached to it, every fleet wants to optimise its trailer space, reduce potential theft, save on vehicle costs, reduce expensive and unexpected downtime, ensure regulatory compliance and optimise the utilisation of its remote assets,&rdquo; added Colpron. &ldquo;These are the basics that ensure that fleet and transport operators can continue to be profitable and it is these areas in which we will operate, offering one of the widest, most complete portfolios in the sector that combines the strength of both advanced on-board technologies and an ecosystem of automation solutions, with an extensive integrated global service network. And as the industry evolves, we are working to stay ahead of change to enable our customers to transition, benefit from, and be successful in an ever changing transportation world.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In support of driving improved market proximity and in a push to reflect the globally diverse sector it services, Wabco Fleet Solutions&#39; 900-strong team operates from over 45 markets - represented by over 30 nationalities worldwide - enabling it to be as close to its customer base as possible.</p>
<p>Colpron concludes, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a complex task which will require the involvement and support of a significant number of technology and cross-industry partners, delivering expertise from the many different segments that service this space. We are already actively working with many of these partners today, but also openly invite all players who feel they can add value to our mission to reach out to us.&nbsp; Creating a single functional ecosystem around transport operations will require the minds, experience and capabilities of many.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[The new business builds on Wabco’s former Aftermarket and its Digital Customer Services units and focuses on improving fleet and road transport safety, environmental efficiencies and enabling leaner operations.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f02ff5d-a81d-486b-b365-c2523bbc2afa.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9f02ff5d-a81d-486b-b365-c2523bbc2afa.jpg&h=485&w=73543466https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wabco-launches-new-business-for-global-commercial-vehicle-fleets-43466
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wabco-launches-new-business-for-global-commercial-vehicle-fleets-43466Mon, 08 Jul 2019 16:52:00Daimler India CV's BharatBenz 5528TT heavy-duty truck gets BS VI certification<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/77f4f7bc-406f-4bc4-a49e-565394138c68.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>L-R: A A Badusha, senior deputy director &amp; Head (Homologation Management and Regulation), ARAI; Pradeep Kumar Thimmaiyan, VP (Product Engineering), DICV; Rashmi Urdhwareshe, director, ARAI; Prabal Ralhan, Project Lead - BS VI, DICV; Satyakam Arya, MD and CEO, DICV; Ravikumar Samuthiram, GM (Product Engineering), DICV; and K Srinivas, senior deputy director, Emission Certification Lab, ARAI.</em></p>
<p><strong>As the April 2020 BS VI emission norm mandate draws closer, <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/oem?search=oem"><span style="color:#FF0000;">OEM</span></a>s are announcing their readiness to meet to technological upgrade. The Chennai-based <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/daimler%20india?search=daimler%20india"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler India</span></a> Commercial Vehicles (DICV) says its SCR-technology equipped 5528TT heavy-duty truck has received the BS VI readiness certification from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). </strong></p>
<p>The BharatBenz 5528TT, which has the maximum GVW (55,000kg)&nbsp;in its category, is targeted at applications like cement, bulkers, steel coils, tankers and other heavy load transportation.</p>
<p>The truck is powered by the globally proven 7.2-litre, OM900 series six-cylinder engine, available in two power variants of 180KW and 210KW and a maximum torque of 1100 Nm. The OM 900 series, which has a localisation level of 80 percent in India, will power an entire range of heavy-duty trucks that include haulage, tippers and tractors.</p>
<p>Commenting on the BS VI certification, Satyakam Arya, managing director and CEO, DICV, said, &ldquo;At DICV, we fully utilise our know-how and experience from Daimler&rsquo;s global platforms for BS VI. Furthermore, our in-house R&amp;D centre gives us the advantage in customizing platforms for local duty cycle and usage patterns. Similar to BS IV, BharatBenz will lead the way with the introduction of BS VI. We will further challenge our own leadership position in fuel efficiency with our BS VI trucks towards a new benchmark. We are proud to receive the BS VI readiness certification for BharatBenz 5528TT model.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Since its inception in April 2012, DICV and BharatBenz have been manufacturing electronically-controlled engines with a proven track record in India and overseas markets. The truck maker says the OM900 series engines are designed to offer significant fuel efficiency with no negative impact on power delivery.</p>
<p>The BharatBenz BS-VI engine and after-treatment system is built on Selective Catalytic Reduction-based technology which the brand pioneered since introduction of BS-IV in 2017. DICV has benefited from Daimler&#39;s expertise in SCR technology used for decades and deployed in hundreds of thousands of trucks and buses worldwide. The SCR-based technology helps in optimised combustion in the engine, thereby offering superior fuel economy, cleaner operation and in turn offering longer life and reliability.</p>
<p><strong>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-bs-vi-range-of-pro-2000-series-lightduty-trucks-43246"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Eicher unveils BS VI range of Pro 2000 series light-duty trucks</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/scania-india-launches-bs-viready-nextgeneration-truck-43443"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Scania India launches BS VI-ready next-generation truck</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/setco-to-make-bs-vicompliant-clutches-for-m&amp;hcvs-from-january-2020-43033"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Setco to make BS VI-compliant clutches for M&amp;HCVs&nbsp;</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/shell-india-launches-bs-viready-engine-oil-for-cvs-42922"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Shell India launches BS VI-ready engine oil for CVs</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/bs-viready-mahle-opens-global-engineering--it-and-sales-centre-in-pune-42244"><span style="color:#FF0000;">BS VI-ready Mahle opens global engineering, IT and sales centre in Pune</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/bs-vi-india-auto-inc-makes-mission-possible-ahead-of-deadline-43338"><span style="color:#FF0000;">BS VI: India Auto Inc makes mission possible ahead of deadline</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The BS VI-ready BharatBenz 5528TT heavy-duty truck is powered by the 7.2-litre, OM900 series six-cylinder engine, which develops 180KW and 210KW versions and a maximum torque of 1100 Nm.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/77f4f7bc-406f-4bc4-a49e-565394138c68.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/77f4f7bc-406f-4bc4-a49e-565394138c68.jpg&h=485&w=73543458https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-bharatbenz-5528tt-heavyduty-truck-gets-bs-vi-certification-43458
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-bharatbenz-5528tt-heavyduty-truck-gets-bs-vi-certification-43458Sun, 07 Jul 2019 20:39:00Scania India launches BS VI-ready next-generation truck<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1f8cbc23-e5e3-4c17-b77d-3b15378c019b.jpeg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Scania Commercial Vehicles India has launched its&nbsp;Next Truck Generation (NTG), which is targeted at the mining industry in the country. The Swedish CV major says, the NTG with its modular system&nbsp;will deliver productivity-enhancing services as well as customised transport solutions.</strong></p>
<p>The new NTG range was launched today at the Scania India Kolar plant in Karnataka. The plant has an annual manufacturing capacity of 2,500 trucks per annum.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Unveiling the new range, Petr Novotny, managing director, Scania India said, &ldquo;India is an important market for us and we are here to stay. The strategic introduction of Scania&rsquo;s world-class range reiterates our commitment to the country. With the launch of the NTG range, we aim to drive the evolution of India&rsquo;s transport solutions in the mining, construction and long haulage business. We reinforce our commitment to helping customers achieve higher levels of profitability, safety, efficiency and productivity in their businesses. We are confident that these strategic initiatives will further support the growth of mining industry in India and strengthen Scania India&rsquo;s growth story.&quot;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">BS VI-ready truck</span></strong><br />
With&nbsp;implementation of BS VI emission norms less than 9 months away, the BS VI-ready NTG is integrated with an upgraded powertrain, resulting in higher load-carrying capacity, fuel efficiency and uptime.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Globally our Next Truck Generation has won many awards,&rdquo;&nbsp;said Novotny. &ldquo;We are excited to launch these state-of-the art trucks in India to support the growing mining industry. Very soon we shall also be introducing this NTG for the long haulage business. As part of our core value of &lsquo;customer first&rsquo;, this generation of trucks is designed to better meet their requirements of increasing profitability. NTG has efficiency in both fuel economy and performance,&rdquo;&nbsp;he added.</p>
<![CDATA[CV maker introduces a new range of tailor-made trucks for mining, construction and long haulage business.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1f8cbc23-e5e3-4c17-b77d-3b15378c019b.jpeg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1f8cbc23-e5e3-4c17-b77d-3b15378c019b.jpeg&h=485&w=73543443https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/scania-india-launches-bs-viready-nextgeneration-truck-43443
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/scania-india-launches-bs-viready-nextgeneration-truck-43443Thu, 04 Jul 2019 16:54:00M&HCV segment weighs heavy on CV sector's performance in June<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9ff33cae-d31d-4306-9370-d228c0be3afe.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The month-on-month declining sales trend in the Indian automobile market continued in June 2019 with most passenger vehicle and two-wheeler OEMs reporting substantially reduced numbers. The sales scenario in the commercial vehicle segment is no different as despatches of heavy trucks and buses, and light and small commercial vehicles declined sharply with OEMs cutting down on despatches in view of lethargic&nbsp;customer demand and also to reduce rising inventory levels at dealer points. &nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>As per the wholesales numbers announced by various OEMs and <em>Autocar Professional</em>&#39;s, the top four CV players account for despatch of 68,337 units in June 2018, down 11.78 percent over year-ago figures (June 2018: 77,376).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, the top two players in the critical M&amp;HCV segment, have both registered a sales decline in June. Mahindra Trucks &amp; Buses and VE Commercial Vehicles have seen their overall domestic sales post double-digit negative growth. Clearly, challenging times are back in the CV industry after around three years. &nbsp;</p>
<p>A high year-ago base effect, the recent increase in axle load norms with higher capacities in the market and delayed purchase decisions by fleet operators as well as drying up of finance due to the NBFC crisis are some of the factors that continue to impacting the CV sector adversely. The advancing monsoon across the country is also likely to impact transportation of goods, thus slowing down sales.</p>
<p>In the April-May 2019 period, total CV industry sales were 137,527 units, down 8.05 percent year on year (April-May 2019: 149,566). M&amp;HCVs, which are the growth and margin drivers, sold 48,946 units, down 16.72 percent (April-May 2019: 58,773) while LCVs which include small CVs accounted for 137,527 units, down 2.44 percent YoY (April-May 2019: 149,566). From the looks of it, when the official June 2019 numbers come in from apex body SIAM next week, the fall just might be sharper.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">How the OEMs fared in June</span></strong><br>
Like Maruti Suzuki is to the PV sector, <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Tata Motors</span></strong> is to the CV industry. &nbsp;In June 2019, Tata, the leader with an overall 41 percent share of the overall CV market, saw its numbers down by 7 percent at 35,772 units. (June 2018: 38,560).</p>
<p>Worryingly for the company, its M&amp;HCV trucks have come under pressure, falling by 19 percent in the month to 9,358 units. Also, tipper segment sales have declined by 12 percent, indicating slowing activities in the infrastructure, construction and mining sectors.&nbsp;A positive for the company was the 3 percent growth in intermediate LCVs&nbsp;(ILCVs) with sale of 4,564 units and the commercial passenger carrier (bus) segment, which was up by 17 percent to 6,706 units.</p>
<p>Tata Motors&rsquo; popular cargo small CVs and pickups were down by 10 percent to 15,094 units.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Ashok Leyland</span></strong> registered a 14 percent drop in its overall domestic sales last month to 12,085 units (June 2018: 14,091).&nbsp;Like Tata, its M&amp;HCV sales saw a double-digit 19 percent fall to 7,780 units; while truck numbers were down 23 percent, bus sales dipped by a marginal 2 percent. The LCVs too were not spared by the downturn, falling 4 percent YoY with sales of 4,305 units (June 2018: 4,475).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Mahindra Trucks &amp; Buses</span></strong>&rsquo; overall sales were down by 15 percent to 16,394 units (June 2018: 19,229). M&amp;HCVs were down by 36 percent to 705 units. CVs in the below-3.5T GVW segment sold 14,863 units, down 13 percent. (June 2018:17,125), and those in the above-3.5T GVW segment sold 826 units (-17%).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>&rsquo; sales declined by 24.7&nbsp;percent June 2019, the company selling 4,136 units in the domestic market (June 2018: 5,496 units).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Growth outlook</span></strong><br>
The CV sector, which is keeping company with the PV and two-wheeler sectors in negative growth territory at present, will be banking on some relief &ndash; ideally a GST cut &ndash; from the upcoming FY2020-21 Union Budget to be announced on July 5. What could also give new legs to CV sales will be a good monsoon, continued spend on infrastructure by the government and the festive season which kicks in from September.</p>
<p>Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman&rsquo;s first Budget will be keenly watched because it has the potential to kick-start growth and in turn demand for CV services.</p>
<p>CV OEMs though will be keeping their fingers crossed that sales do not decline at a faster pace. Already engaged in the emission upgrade to BS VI, they have their hands full with the technology change and manpower training, what with also having to keep an eye open for the government&rsquo;s electrification programme. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>While it&rsquo;s early days yet, OEMs will be looking forward to considerable pre-buying of BS IV vehicles months ahead of the BS VI mandate kicking in from April 1, 2020. Till then, however, they will have to contend with slow growth, fluctuation in diesel prices as politics dominates global crude supplies and an uptick in the domestic freight market. These constitute a number of variables, which means the sector will be navigating a potholed road for a few months more.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/COMMERCIAL%20VEHICLE%20SALES_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 293px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Delayed purchase decision, lesser vehicle offtake due to increased axle load norm and continuing liquidity issues mean critical medium and heavy CV market is taking a beating and thereby impacting overall numbers.
]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9ff33cae-d31d-4306-9370-d228c0be3afe.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9ff33cae-d31d-4306-9370-d228c0be3afe.jpg&h=485&w=73543427https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&hcv-segment-weighs-heavy-on-cv-sector-performance-in-june-43427
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&hcv-segment-weighs-heavy-on-cv-sector-performance-in-june-43427Wed, 03 Jul 2019 15:14:00Ashok Leyland announces new management structure to drive growth<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d4855d4f-5c0d-4ad2-8a44-e40381bfd78b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland today announced a set of organisational changes designed to&nbsp;shape future growth strategies.</strong></p>
<p>Gopal Mahadevan, who was recently appointed as wholetime director in addition to his current role as CFO and president, Customer Solutions Business, will now also be responsible for Information Technology (IT), Corporate Strategy and Business Analytics.</p>
<p>Anuj Kathuria has appointed as the COO for the Medium &amp; Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&amp;HCV) business, while Nitin Seth has been appointed as COO, responsible for Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Defence, International Operations (IO) and Power Solutions Business (PSB). &nbsp;</p>
<p>The company&#39;s CTO, Dr&nbsp;N Saravanan in addition to his current role will also be responsible for the electric vehicles (EVs) business.</p>
<p>Announcing these organisational changes, Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland said, &quot;At Ashok Leyland we have always believed in nurturing and rewarding internal talent. We have a robust pipeline of leaders who are ready to take on greater challenges and these appointments are a fitting recognition of their contribution and capability. The Ashok Leyland team has performed well over the last few years and have collectively achieved its vision of breaking into the Global Top 10 in M&amp;HCV trucks and Global Top 5 in M&amp;HCV buses in volume terms. A milestone we are indeed very proud of and one which has encouraged us to aspire for greater goals.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[Ashok Leyland says this is part of its philosophy to nurture and reward internal talent.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d4855d4f-5c0d-4ad2-8a44-e40381bfd78b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d4855d4f-5c0d-4ad2-8a44-e40381bfd78b.jpg&h=485&w=73543348https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-announces-new-management-structure-to-drive-growth-43348
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-announces-new-management-structure-to-drive-growth-43348Fri, 21 Jun 2019 16:06:00BharatBenz and HPCL launch co-branded fleet fuel card<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0025b0e4-5ff7-47c4-9819-06fb7c9c3045.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch?search=Daimler%20India"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler India</span></a> Commercial Vehicles (DICV) in association with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation has today launched a co-branded loyalty card &lsquo;BharatBenz Dieselaabh&rsquo; for fleet owners, which will be available for the entire range of BharatBenz Trucks.</strong></p>
<p>Commenting on the launch, Rajaram Krishnamurthy, vice-president, Marketing and Sales, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles,&nbsp;said:&nbsp;&ldquo;At BharatBenz, the constant effort is to enhance our customer experience at every step of their journey. The launch of BharatBenz Dieselblaah fleet card is a progress in this direction. As diesel is the highest expense for transporters, this card will help in additional fuel savings and ensure drivers&rsquo; access to a host of services at all HPCL petrol bunks.&rdquo;</p>
<p>G S V Prasad, executive director- retail, HPCL,&nbsp;said: &ldquo;The Hindustan Petroleum DriveTrack Plus is an exciting offering and we are delighted to partner with BharatBenz for this programme. We are committed to long and fruitful partnerships that benefit our customers and help in reforming the way of business in the trucking industry. The Hindustan Petroleum and BharatBenz partnership will be an enabler for reducing fuel expenses and provide full security, transparency and more value added services to drivers.&rdquo;</p>
<p>BharatBenz&nbsp;says it has designed the program&nbsp;to reduce the diesel cost borne by the fleet operators in the form of loyalty program points. The card can help fleet operators to save upto Rs 50,000 per year per truck. The loyalty points can be easily redeemed at HPCL petrol pumps and through online vouchers . The co-branded fleet card also offers various rewards for the owners. The entire loyalty points will be shared with respective fleet owner on a month on month basis, based on the slab and usage.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Some of the key features of the program include:&nbsp;</span></strong></p>
<p>- Insurance cover to driver and helper upto Rs 300,000</p>
<p>- Permanent disability caused due to accident upto Rs 100,000</p>
<p>- Reimbursement of medical bills caused due to accident upto Rs 50,000</p>
<p>- Joint driver training program at leading HPCL pumps</p>
<p>- Drivers and helpers also can avail facilities such as secured vehicle parking, access to rest room, bathing, medical facility, Dhabas and washing facility and others at all leading HPCL petrol bunks.</p>
<p>The DriveTrack Plus program is an innovative payment mechanism developed for efficient fleet management.</p>
<![CDATA[he card can help fleet operators to save upto Rs 50,000 per year per truck.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0025b0e4-5ff7-47c4-9819-06fb7c9c3045.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0025b0e4-5ff7-47c4-9819-06fb7c9c3045.jpg&h=485&w=73543325https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/bharatbenz-and-hpcl-launch-cobranded-fleet-fuel-card-43325
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/bharatbenz-and-hpcl-launch-cobranded-fleet-fuel-card-43325Tue, 18 Jun 2019 17:58:00Volvo Group and Nvidia to develop AI platform for autonomous trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d1d48a0f-ab71-457e-ab5f-6d34b8161a63.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Volvo Group has signed an agreement with Nvidia to jointly develop the decision-making system of autonomous commercial vehicles and machines. Utilising Nvidia&rsquo;s end-to-end artificial intelligence platform for training, simulation and in-vehicle computing, the resulting system is designed to safely handle fully autonomous driving on public roads and highways. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The solution will be built on Nvidia&rsquo;s full software stack for sensor processing, perception, map localisation and path planning, enabling a wide range of possible autonomous driving applications, such as freight transport, refuse and recycling collection, public transport, construction, mining, forestry and more.</p>
<p>Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO of the Volvo Group said, &ldquo;Automation creates real-life benefits for both our customers and the society in terms of safety, energy efficiency and as a consequence productivity. We continue to gradually introduce automated applications in the entire spectrum of automation, from driver support systems to fully autonomous vehicles and machines. This partnership with Nvidia is an important next step on that journey.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The partnership with Nvidia will focus on the development of a flexible, scalable autonomous driving system, which is planned to be used first in commercial pilots and later in commercial offerings from the Volvo Group. The agreement signed between the Volvo Group and Nvidia is a long-term partnership spanning several years. Work will begin immediately with personnel from the two companies being co-located in Gothenburg, Sweden and Santa Clara, California.</p>
<p>Jensen Huang, Nvidia founder and CEO said, &ldquo;Trucking is the world&rsquo;s largest network &ndash; a network that through online shopping puts practically anything, anywhere in the world, quickly within our reach. The latest breakthroughs in AI and robotics bring a new level of intelligence and automation to address the transportation challenges we face. We are thrilled to partner with Volvo Group to reinvent the future of trucking.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Lars Stenqvist, Volvo Group chief technology officer said, &ldquo;Automation is a key technology area for the Volvo Group. With this partnership, we will further increase our speed of development and strengthen our long-term capabilities and assets within automation, to the benefit of our customers in different segments and markets.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The strategic partnership covers end-to-end computing fundamental to autonomous vehicles. It includes accelerated computing technology in the datacenter for training deep neural networks; large-scale simulation for hardware-in-the-loop testing and validation of autonomous vehicle systems; and finally deployment of the Nvidia &lsquo;DRIVE&rsquo; platform in the vehicle running the full software stack for 360-degree sensor processing, mapping and path planning.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-debuts-level-2--automated-driving-system-42686"><span style="color:#FF0000;">ZF debuts level 2+ automated driving system</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/weride-to-demonstrate-l4-autonomous-driving-solution-at-gtc-2019-42445"><span style="color:#FF0000;">WeRide to demonstrate L4 autonomous driving solution at GTC 2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-unveils-automotive-supercomputer-for-adas-and-fully-autonomous-cars-41749"><span style="color:#FF0000;">ZF unveils automotive supercomputer for ADAS and fully autonomous cars</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/nvidia-introduces-level-2--automated-driving-system-at-ces-2019-41769"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Nvidia introduces level 2+ automated driving system at CES 2019</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Based on Volvo’s commercial vehicles and machines and Nvidia’s training platforms, the system is designed to safely handle fully autonomous driving on public roads and highways.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d1d48a0f-ab71-457e-ab5f-6d34b8161a63.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d1d48a0f-ab71-457e-ab5f-6d34b8161a63.jpg&h=485&w=73543318https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-group-and-nvidia-to-develop-ai-platform-for-autonomous-trucks-43318
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-group-and-nvidia-to-develop-ai-platform-for-autonomous-trucks-43318Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:36:00Piaggio launches new Ape City+ 3W for last-mile connectivity <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d29e743a-9f46-4f25-bcaf-2931d925adcb.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch?search=Piaggio%20Vehicles"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd (PVPL)</span></a>, a 100 percent subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group and a leading manufacturer of small commercial vehicles in India, has launched the new Ape City+, marking its entry into&nbsp; the three-wheeler mid-body segment. </strong></p>
<p>Piaggio claims&nbsp; the new Ape City+ has India&rsquo;s first 230cc engine with three-valve technology in the AF category. It is an all-new, ground up platform jointly developed&nbsp;by Piaggio&rsquo;s product development teams from Italy and India. The vehicle will be available in 4 fuel variants &ndash; LPG, CNG, petrol and diesel.</p>
<p>The new Ape City+ caters to urban and suburban needs. Along with three colour options, the vehicle will be sold with a warranty of 36 months/ 100,000kms (whichever is earlier) for the CNG/LPG and petrol variants.</p>
<p>Under the super saver schemes, customers get the benefit of 5 scheduled services free of cost with no charges for general maintenance, parts and labour in the first year. The Ape City+ diesel variant comes with a 42 months/ 120,000km&nbsp;super warranty (whichever is earlier). The three-valve technology engine in the AF category provides one of the best-in-class power&nbsp;and good pickup.</p>
<p>Speaking at the launch in Mumbai today, Diego Graffi, MD and CEO, Piaggio Vehicles said, &ldquo;The last-mile passenger transport dynamics is changing rapidly as cities are expanding into suburbs. There is a requirement of a versatile commercial people carrier, which can cater in both in-city and outskirt applications. The new Ape City+ is suitable for both city as well as outskirts and it will definitely address the gap present in last-mile connectivity. It is equipped with India&rsquo;s first 230cc three-valve technology engine in alternate fuel variant and proven 436cc engine in the diesel variant, both of which offer great power. The three-valve technology engine assures low maintenance cost.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Piaggio claims that the newly launched 3-wheeler Ape City+ is India’s first 230cc engine with 3-valve technology in the AF category and 436cc diesel engine.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d29e743a-9f46-4f25-bcaf-2931d925adcb.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d29e743a-9f46-4f25-bcaf-2931d925adcb.jpg&h=485&w=73543294https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-launches-new-ape-city--3w-for-lastmile-connectivity-43294
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-launches-new-ape-city--3w-for-lastmile-connectivity-43294Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:29:00Uber to deploy Bajaj Qute in Bangalore<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5978cddb-deeb-4664-a41d-c6036e9f0780.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/uber?search=uber"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Uber</span></a> has announced the addition of a new category on its smartphone app that allows customers to book Bajaj&rsquo;s Qute quadricycle. The category, called UberXS, is exclusive to users in Bangalore.</strong></p>
<p>While the company has not yet revealed if UberXS fares will be higher than its auto rickshaw hailing category (UberAuto), the option will almost certainly undercut other categories.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/bajaj-auto-launches-qute-quadricycle-in-maharashtra-at-rs-248-000-42761"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Launched officially in Maharashtra back in April 2019</span></a>&nbsp;(at Rs 248,000, ex-showroom), the Bajaj Qute gets a 216cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that can be fuelled by either petrol or CNG &ndash; it produces 13.2hp and 18.9Nm on the former fuel and 11hp and 16.1Nm on the latter. Both options are available on Uber.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/16/Uber-XS-launch-BLR-400x267.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 400px; height: 267px;" title=""></p>
<p>The smallest production four-wheeler on Indian roads, the Qute weighs 452kg (504kg with the CNG kit) and has an ARAI-rated mileage figure of 35kpl on petrol (43km/kg on CNG). It&rsquo;s dinky dimensions and 7m turning diameter makes it a viable alternative to Bajaj&rsquo;s three-wheelers that are used as auto rickshaws.</p>
<p>For now, Uber will only offer the UberXS category (and the Bajaj Qute) for users in Bangalore, though it would make a lot of sense to roll out this category in other major metros such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata, among others.</p>
<p>It was only in November last year that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) added quadricycles to the &lsquo;non-transport&rsquo; category of vehicles, making it available for personal use and commercial use.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-to-deploy-electric-vehicles-with-uber-in-hyderabad-42832"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra to deploy electric vehicles with Uber in Hyderabad</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[ber will only offer the UberXS category (and the Bajaj Qute) for users in Bangalore.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5978cddb-deeb-4664-a41d-c6036e9f0780.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5978cddb-deeb-4664-a41d-c6036e9f0780.jpg&h=485&w=73543282https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/uber-to-deploy-bajaj-qute-in-bangalore-43282
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/uber-to-deploy-bajaj-qute-in-bangalore-43282Thu, 13 Jun 2019 17:06:00ZF develops Dual-lens camera for CVs, launch in 2020 with integrated ADAS<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a4f79f60-05b0-4292-9eae-71102411a846.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>German Tier 1 supplier, <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/zf?search=zf"><span style="color:#FF0000;">ZF</span></a>, which is also a leading supplier of automotive cameras, has developed the Dual-cam two lens camera specifically designed for the commercial truck market and to be used in concert with other ZF ADAS technologies.</strong></p>
<p>The new product is part of <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/zf?search=zf"><span style="color:#FF0000;">ZF</span></a>&rsquo;s S-Cam4 family of automotive grade cameras, the dual-cam is designed to help meet varying global regulatory requirements and delivers advanced functions such as Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Keeping Assist and Centering and object and pedestrian detection to enable Automatic Emergency Braking.</p>
<p>Dan Williams, head of ADAS and autonomy, ZF Commercial truck applications, said: &ldquo;To help ensure these technologies work effectively on commercial trucks a second lens is necessary for some of these advanced functions. For example, for pedestrian AEB in some instances a standard mono-camera with a 52-degree field can limit the ability to detect pedestrians or other vulnerable road users with enough time to actuate the brakes and help avoid or mitigate accidents for larger trucks in complex environments.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Having a second lens also enables redundancy for Level2+ functions - if one lens becomes blinded or non-functional the second lens helps ensure the camera can still operate due to multiple optical paths.</p>
<p>ZF says its camera technologies feature best-in-class optical performance and an enhanced fusion envelope. When combined with a full suite of the company&rsquo;s ADAS technologies such as forward looking and corner radar, automated functions such as lane change assist, and traffic jam assist are enabled. These functions can form the basis for technologies such as truck platooning to make long haul trucking safer and more efficient.&nbsp;</p>
<p>ZF has a long history of commercial truck ADAS supply for major European truck makers and will launch an advanced ADAS system for a major Japanese manufacturer in 2020. The launch will include ZF&rsquo;s first application for its Image Processing Module where camera images will be processed in a separate unit from the camera housing.</p>
<p><strong>Also&nbsp; read:<span style="color:#FF0000;">&nbsp;</span></strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-reveals-world%E2%80%99s-first-precrash-external-side-airbag-system-43213"><span style="color:#FF0000;">ZF reveals world&rsquo;s first Pre-crash External Side Airbag System</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-to-acquire-software-specialist-for-occupant-recognition-42978"><span style="color:#FF0000;">ZF to acquire software specialist for occupant recognition</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[Having a second lens also enables redundancy for Level2+ functions - if one lens becomes blinded or non-functional the second lens helps ensure the camera can still operate due to multiple optical paths.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a4f79f60-05b0-4292-9eae-71102411a846.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a4f79f60-05b0-4292-9eae-71102411a846.jpg&h=485&w=73543280https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-develops-duallens-camera-for-cvs--launch-in-2020-with-integrated-adas-43280
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-develops-duallens-camera-for-cvs--launch-in-2020-with-integrated-adas-43280Thu, 13 Jun 2019 15:02:00Ashok Leyland and HPCL to offer roadside assistance for CVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a18f8b41-07d6-49d8-bb4d-f69838c3ee87.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group, today signed a memorandum of understanding with <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/hindustan%20petroleum?search=hindustan%20petroleum"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Hindustan Petroleum</span></a><span style="color:#FF0000;"> Corporation Limited</span> (HPCL) to jointly offer &lsquo;Sadak ka Saathi&rsquo;, a roadside assistance programme for commercial vehicles that is also claimed as one of the first in the industry. This service is valid for all eN-Dhan fuel card holders, a co-branded product of Ashok Leyland and HPCL, and DriveTrack Plus cardholders of HPCL. This service is claimed to benefit over 100,000 commercial vehicles across India.</strong></p>
<p>ServiceMandi, the digital platform of Ashok Leyland for breakdown assistance, will implement this service across the country. The offering includes immediate response by service channels of Ashok Leyland in diagnosing the cause and providing service that will enable the vehicle to be back on road in a short span of time. The offering covers all brands of commercial vehicles and includes free towing facility within a limited distance.</p>
<p>Commenting on the association,&nbsp;Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland,&nbsp;said, &ldquo;At Ashok Leyland, it is our continuous effort to enhance the experience of our customers by providing value to their day-to-day business activities. &lsquo;Sadak ka Saathi&rsquo; is the second offering from Customer Solutions Business (CSB) vertical of Ashok Leyland, which is committed to bringing out differentiated solutions for the benefit of our customers, in alignment with the company&rsquo;s philosophy, &lsquo;Aapki Jeet. Hamari Jeet.&rsquo; Earlier, we had associated with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to offer eN-Dhan fuel cards to our customers, which was greatly welcomed. We are looking at taking forward this association with the current offering.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Speaking on the occasion,&nbsp;G S V Prasad, executive director &ndash; retail, HPCL, said, &ldquo;At Hindustan Petroleum, we remain committed to provide value-added services to our loyal customers and to be of assistance, in times of need. In this direction, we are continuing our partnership with Ashok Leyland for offering roadside assistance. We emphasise on building a long-term relationship with our customers, ensuring that the best products and services are made available to them. Both Hindustan Petroleum and Ashok Leyland are committed to bringing world-class services and solutions through technology inspired journey.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Customer Solutions Business focuses on the development of solutions covering the entire life cycle of commercial vehicles and aims to enhance customer profitability. Last year, Ashok Leyland announced the launch of the eN-Dhan fuel cards under this programme to benefit customer fuel needs, and ease of re-fuelling. Today, there is a large customer base for eN-Dhan with a significantly huge fuel card usage.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-q4-fy2019-profit-at-rs-653-crore--down-12-43102"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland Q4 FY2019 profit at Rs 653 crore, down 12%</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-bags-400bus-order-from-senegal-senbus-industries-43014"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland bags 400-bus order from Senegal&#39;s Senbus Industries</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/cv-sales-record-sharp-decline-in-may--may-drive-in-slow-lane-till-september-43194"><span style="color:#FF0000;">CV sales record sharp decline in May, may drive in slow lane till September</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Ashok Leyland and HPCL’s new joint initiative enables around 100,000 commercial vehicles to avail roadside assistance]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a18f8b41-07d6-49d8-bb4d-f69838c3ee87.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a18f8b41-07d6-49d8-bb4d-f69838c3ee87.jpg&h=485&w=73543276https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-and-hpcl-to-offer-roadside-assistance-for-cvs-43276
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-and-hpcl-to-offer-roadside-assistance-for-cvs-43276Wed, 12 Jun 2019 17:16:00Vinod Aggarwal: ‘I think the CV market turnaround will happen around September.’<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ec183b53-2840-4a36-aaf6-860cec0394a2.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-bs-vi-range-of-pro-2000-series-lightduty-trucks-43246"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Eicher Trucks today unveiled India&#39;s first BS VI-compliant truck in Mumbai</span></a>. Vinod Aggarwal, the&nbsp;MD and CEO of Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles,&nbsp;talks to Sumantra B Barooah about the latest addition to the company&#39;s truck portfolio, investment plans and the CV market outlook. &nbsp;</em></p>
<p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What is the strategy behind the new Pro 2000 series? How did you come about it? What is the overall performance and what is the outlook for the overall segment?</span></strong><br>
The entire thought behind this series of trucks is in line with our vision of driving modernisation in the commercial transportation. This is the finest example of a highly modern truck. If you look at the cabin and the features, you will notice that it has the best of comfort and the best of reliability, best of safety and hence there is maximum productivity for our customers to ensure the maximisation of profits for the customers. That is the thought behind this new development.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20Eicher%20Pro%202095.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 465px;" title=""></p>
<p>For the LMD (light and medium duty) segment, the medium-term outlook is good. However, it is not as good as the industry growth has slowed down considerably. The factors that led to this are the NBFC crisis that is going on in the country and the effect of the revised axle load norms. As it is, the entire economy is also down. In Q4, the growth was 5.8 percent. However, we expect that there will be some steps that will be taken to solve the liquidity crisis, which would boost the economy and the demand.</p>
<p>A proper scrapping policy should be introduced for over 15-year-old trucks, which would also tackle the entire issue of pollution. We are the first company in India to unveil a BS VI truck, which is also BS VI-ready. It will go on sale as soon as the fuel is available and the customer demand also comes up. Right now, the truck is available as a BS IV version.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">When do you think we can expect the overall turnaround in the CV segment?</span></strong><br>
I think the turnaround will happen around the month of September 2019. It would be the pre-buying impact of BS VI.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Do you plan to expand the Eicher portfolio to the pick-up truck category also because that is a huge chunk of the commercial vehicle segment?</span></strong><br>
The two new ones are 1.8 metres and 2 metres long and would open a whole new sales avenue. This would lead to an overall impact on the business of the customer and at the same time also improve the manoeuvrability of the trucks because their turning radius is less and they can enter narrow lanes. So it could definitely get into some of those applications.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/WEB%20_DSC1164_JPG.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 526px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Vinod Aggarwal, seen here with Vishal Mathur, senior VP (Sales &amp; Marketing), LMD Trucks, VE Commercial Vehicles.</em></p>
<p>The biggest advantage that we had while developing the BS VI engine was the fact that we were already developing Euro 6 engines for the past six years. All the experience that we garnered through this actually helped us while manufacturing the BS VI engine and in its aftersales.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What is VECV&#39;s current market share in the M&amp;HCV segment and the LCV segment?</span></strong><br>
First of all, if you consider the volume, we grew by 11 percent last year. In FY2019, our volume was 73,000 units. Market share-wise, we are at 5 percent in heavy duty trucks, 29 percent in light and medium duty trucks, and 16 percent in buses. We are now exporting about 10,000 units. We are not running after market share at this point in time because there is a lot of disruption in the market in terms of pricing and we don&rsquo;t believe in giving out heavy discounts.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How much was the fresh investment for this new project?</span></strong><br>
In this project we have developed two new cabins and two new engines. The Bhopal plant will cater to these trucks and hence we are investing Rs 400 crore in the plant. Over and above that, we have also invested in the new product development, which is another Rs 400 crore.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-bs-vi-range-of-pro-2000-series-lightduty-trucks-43246"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Eicher unveils BS VI range of Pro 2000 series light-duty trucks</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-accelerates-plan-for-sae-level-4-highly-automated-driving-with-new-division-43145"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler Trucks accelerates plan for SAE Level 4 highly automated driving with new division</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-truckskamaz-jv-opens-new-truck-cabin-plant-in-russia-43115"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler Trucks-Kamaz JV opens new truck cabin plant in Russia</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The MD and CEO of Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles talks to Sumantra B Barooah about the new BS VI-compliant Pro 2000 series, investment plans and the market outlook. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ec183b53-2840-4a36-aaf6-860cec0394a2.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ec183b53-2840-4a36-aaf6-860cec0394a2.jpg&h=485&w=73543254https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/vinod-aggarwal-‘i-think-the-cv-market-turnaround-will-happen-around-september’-43254
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/vinod-aggarwal-‘i-think-the-cv-market-turnaround-will-happen-around-september’-43254Mon, 10 Jun 2019 19:19:00Hyva commits Rs 60 crore additional investment in India<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/af9b1047-e675-45d4-b413-5291f7e21006.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/hyva?search=hyva"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Hyva</span></a>, a global leader for hydraulic solutions in the commercial vehicle and environmental services industries, announced Rs 30 crore investments per annum in 2019 and 2020. This lets Hyva India further increase production capacity and create a brand new &lsquo;Refuse Collection Body Centre&rsquo; in the Pune plant.</strong></p>
<p>Marco Mazzu, Hyva CEO, on his recent trip to India, while celebrating Hyva&rsquo;s 40th anniversary said, &ldquo;India is a major market for us because it is not only a large sales market but it is also a core market for the manufacturing operations of Hyva. We have over 40 percent markets share in front-end tipping solutions and now with India&rsquo;s focus on construction and infrastructure development, it is one of the fastest growing markets worldwide for tipping solution.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Established in 1979, the business has pursued a successful expansion strategy through organic growth and continuous acquisitions, expanding its global presence to more than 110 countries. By building a broad portfolio of successful products and speeding up the innovation processes, Hyva consolidated its business penetration in markets across continents and reassured its leadership in several product lines. Hyva started its India operations in 1997, and today has four plants across the territory &ndash; in Navi Mumbai, Jamshedpur, Bangalore and Pune &ndash; Hyva India serves a strong portfolio of clients from <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/tata%20motors?search=tata%20motors"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></a>, Volvo India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, VE Commercial Vehicles, Scania Commercial Vehicles India and Mahindra.</p>
<p>The company&rsquo;s product portfolio includes tipper bodies, waste handling solutions and tipper hydraulics products. It recently launched &lsquo;Alpha&rsquo; hydraulic cylinders series, &lsquo;Propel&rsquo; tipper bodies and few concepts for waste handling and cranes businesses.</p>
<p>Hyva India is also looking to grow in the waste handling sector, distinctive for its major development pace on the Indian market which is supported by the Indian Government through campaigns like &lsquo;Clean City Mission&rsquo; and &lsquo;Smart City Mission.&rsquo; The growing demand of efficient solutions for transportation and collection of municipal solid waste has led to an increase in the market of static as well as mobile compactors. Together, with tipping bodies and hydraulics, waste handling solutions contribute to Hyva India performance growth, which in terms of sales has claimed to have reached the level of Rs 850 crore (around US$ 125 million) in 2018.<br />
<br />
<strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motors-launches-the-ultra-range-in-vietnam-43227"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors launches the Ultra range in Vietnam</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-chairman-n-chandrasekaran-conferred-honorary-doctorate-by-macquarie-university-43190"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors chairman N Chandrasekaran conferred honorary doctorate by Macquarie University</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[The hydraulic solution provider will invest Rs 30 crore in 2019 and the next 30 in 2020.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/af9b1047-e675-45d4-b413-5291f7e21006.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/af9b1047-e675-45d4-b413-5291f7e21006.jpg&h=485&w=73543253https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/hyva-commits-rs-60-crore-additional-investment-in-india-43253
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/hyva-commits-rs-60-crore-additional-investment-in-india-43253Mon, 10 Jun 2019 19:02:00Eicher unveils BS VI range of Pro 2000 series light-duty trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1f02a227-49d7-4ec4-bd7b-3dbefb6ce5fc.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>With BS VI emission norms kicking in barely nine months from now, the race is on the Indian market to lauch BS VI-compliant products. Eicher Trucks &amp; Buses, part of VE Commercial Vehicles, today revealed the new range of BS VI Eicher Pro 2000 series light-duty trucks comprising the Eicher Pro 2049 and Eicher Pro 2095XP.</strong></p>
<p>VECV has invested Rs 800 crore, comprising Rs 400 crore in setting up the new Bhopal plant and Rs 400 crore&nbsp;on the new&nbsp;Eicher Pro 2049 and Eicher Pro 2095XP light-duty trucks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Designed to address a wider range of applications and enable VECV to enter new segments, the Pro 2000 series&rsquo; USP are significantly higher profitability and industry-first features for enhanced reliability, safety, comfort and efficiency.</p>
<p>The Eicher Pro 2000 series comes with two new engine platforms &ndash; E474 and E494 &ndash; which the company says are built to deliver best-in-class fuel efficiency and a range of power options. According to the company, the E474 BS VI engine platform is the most fuel-efficient engine with extensive use of aluminium, plastic and other composite materials. The engine is designed to stretch every litre of diesel to the maximum, says Eicher.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/D8rqgXRW4AA5xWR.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 512px;" title=""></p>
<p>The trucks also get all-new 1.8m and 2m tiltable cabins equipped with industry-first features like 18cm touchscreen infotainment, Bluetooth and telematics connectivity. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The Eicher Pro 2049 mini truck gets a high legal payload of 2.7 tonnes, dual-model M-Booster technology and larger loading area. Meanwhile, the Eicher Pro 2095XP, which has the highest payload of 7.2 tonnes in the category, comes with five cargo body options &ndash; 14.1, 17.6, 19, 20 and 21.5 feet &ndash; and is targeted at fleet operators.</p>
<p>Speaking at the product reveal in Mumbai, Vinod Aggarwal, MD and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: &ldquo;We have always believed in investing rigorously in R&amp;D to stay ahead in the industry by improving transportation efficiency. The Pro 2000 series is a testament to that mission. With a strong blend of technology and engineering innovations, we are yet again bringing in a new benchmark for the industry, offering our customers a radically differentiated experience in the CV space. We have superior and longstanding expertise in manufacturing and exporting base engines for Euro 6 requirements of the Volvo Group for the past six years. This extensive experience with Euro 6 allows us the first-mover advantage to deliver products engineered to cater to the new emission norms in India. The select models we have unveiled will be fueled by our two new BS VI engine platforms, equipped with an all-new state-of-the-art cabin and industry-first features.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Aggarwal added, &quot;We are leaders and innovators of the Indian LMD (light and medium duty) trucks market. The new Eicher Pro 2000 series takes logistics and intra-city distribution to the next level, focusing on the driver and his comfort. we believe the winning combination of best-in-class fuel efficiency, better turnaround, more payload, superior cabin aggregates and a competitive price-point will help reduce the operating costs for customers, resulting in higher profitability.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The new Pro 2000 Series will also be sold in South East Asian markets under the UD Trucks brand and will compete mainly against Japanese trucks in these markets.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/vinod-aggarwal-%E2%80%98i-think-the-cv-market-turnaround-will-happen-around-september%E2%80%99-43254"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Vinod Aggarwal: &lsquo;I think the CV market turnaround will happen around September.&rsquo;</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Aiming for a first-mover advantage in the BS VI era, Eicher Trucks expands its light-duty model portfolio; Eicher Pro 2049 and Eicher Pro 2095XP claimed to offer topnotch fuel efficiency, better turnaround, more payload, superior cabin aggregates and a competitive pricing. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1f02a227-49d7-4ec4-bd7b-3dbefb6ce5fc.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1f02a227-49d7-4ec4-bd7b-3dbefb6ce5fc.jpg&h=485&w=73543246https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-bs-vi-range-of-pro-2000-series-lightduty-trucks-43246
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-unveils-bs-vi-range-of-pro-2000-series-lightduty-trucks-43246Mon, 10 Jun 2019 12:35:00Tata Motors launches the Ultra range in Vietnam<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d158b255-f886-4537-827b-fef9ae4517d1.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><address>(L-R):&nbsp; Rajesh Khanna, head (Product Management), International Business - Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors; Rustom Nagporewalla, regional manager (ASEAN, Ukraine, Russia &amp; CIS) , Tata Motors, Rudrarup Maitra, Head, Commercial Vehicles, International Business, Tata Motors; Bui Van Huu chairman, TMT Group and Girish Wagh, president - Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors and Bui Quoc Cong, deputy chairman, TMT Group at the launch of the new &lsquo;Ultra&#39; business utility vehicle in Vietnam.</address>
<p><br />
<strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/tata%20motors?search=tata%20motors"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></a>, which is looking for improved export sales of its commercial vehicles, today&nbsp;launched its&nbsp;Ultra range in the light commercial vehicle segment in Vietnam.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>According to Tata Motors, the Ultra range offers good performance, a comfortable cabin, heavy-duty aggregates and multiple load-body configurations. The Ultra will cater to payloads ranging from four to 11 tonnes with engine capacities from 85hp to 180hp and offers increased productivity and longer life.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Speaking at the launch ceremony, Girish Wagh, president - Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, said: &ldquo;The Tata Ultra Business utility vehicle is a result of extensive feedback&nbsp;from customers and an immersive study into the lives of drivers to better understand their expectations, and is thereby designed to fast-track their businesses with superior all-round performance.&nbsp;Tata Motors is committed to shaping the industry here in Vietnam, with the latest global technologies, giving the Vietnamese customer competitive business advantages with the trusted credentials of the Tata Motors brand.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Bui Van Huu, chairman, TMT Group, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Having successfully launched the Tata Super Ace in Vietnam, we hope to repeat the same success with the Tata Ultra. We are very excited and we hope to consolidate our position in the light-duty commercial vehicle space here in Vietnam with the Tata Ultra. TMT Motors aims to become a market leader in Vietnam CV market with Tata Motors products.&rdquo;</p>
<p>TMT Motors is a leading player in manufacturing, assembly and distribution of commercial vehicles in Vietnam, and has a&nbsp;3S dealer network system, covering almost provinces and cities in the country.<br />
<br />
<strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-chairman-n-chandrasekaran-conferred-honorary-doctorate-by-macquarie-university-43190"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors chairman N Chandrasekaran conferred honorary doctorate by Macquarie University</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-csr-drive-makes-a-difference-to-over-700-000-people-in-fy2019-43174"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors&#39; CSR drive makes a difference to over 700,000 people in FY2019</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[The Ultra range will cater to payloads ranging from 4- to 11-tonnes with engine capacities from 85hp to 180hp.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d158b255-f886-4537-827b-fef9ae4517d1.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d158b255-f886-4537-827b-fef9ae4517d1.jpg&h=485&w=73543227https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motors-launches-the-ultra-range-in-vietnam-43227
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motors-launches-the-ultra-range-in-vietnam-43227Fri, 07 Jun 2019 15:25:00CV sales record sharp decline in May, may drive in slow lane till September<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/73d0eb51-50b6-4fbc-9cdf-df1eaa91e653.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The alarm bells are ringing loud and clear for India Auto Inc.<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/car-sales-slump-in-may-amid-slowing-gdp--oems-bank-on-fiscal-stimulus-to-revive-growth-43179"><span style="color:#FF0000;"> If the passenger vehicle (PV) segment is feeling the heat</span> </a>of a slowing GDP, rural market distress, poor consumer sentiment and the impact of shared mobility in urban India, then the commercial vehicle sector, considered the barometer of the economy, looks to be breaking into a sweat. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-makers-record-doubledigit-growth--cross-million-sales-for-the-first-time-in-fy2019-42579"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Having crossed the million units sales mark for the first time ever in FY2019</span></a>, with YoY growth of 17.55 percent and the best performance of all the vehicle segments in the last fiscal, it was felt the CV sector would maintain its numbers and keep its head above water. But the first month of FY2020 &ndash; April 2019 &ndash; with sales of 68,680 units (-5.98%) gave a glimpse of upcoming slow growth. And, from the first sales figures released by CV makers for the month of May 2019, the decline is even sharper. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&amp;HCV) segment is the worst hit with the steep sales decline indicating slower activity in the economy.&nbsp;The government data, released a couple of days ago, estimates that the January-March quarter of FY2019 recorded 5.8 percent of GDP growth, the lowest in the past five years and putting the brakes on the overall economy. Clearly, the economy and the auto industry needs a fiscal stimulus from the new government.</p>
<p>IFTRT, which tracks the truck movement of goods across 75 key truck routes across India, says truck rentals continued to slide in May between 11-15 percent despite the peak summer fruit, vegetables, wheat, and other crops harvesting season. &ldquo;Due to the gradual slump in factory output, checkered working in the infrastructure sector and exports, the freight market is flushed with over-supply of cargo vehicles in the open freight market, resulting in a fall in heavy truck sales. In May, ICV and LCV sales turned negative; truck sales, despite soft funding options, may remain benign till H1. What&rsquo;s more, there is a possibility of delinquency in payment of EMIs by truck owners, a position that may gather steam leading to high repossession of defaulting heavy goods carriers,&rdquo; observes IFTRT in its monthly report.</p>
<p>According to CV market leader Tata Motors, &ldquo;The market sentiment remains weak due to depressed freight rates and underutilisation of truck(s). The slowing economy and stagnant industrial output have also dragged down CV sales in recent months. The demand for M&amp;HCV trucks continues to be weak on the back of excess freight-carrying capacity of MHCV parc, which got increased by more than 20 percent after the revised axle load norms without the commensurate increase in freight availability.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How the OEMs fared in May</span><br>
<span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></strong>&rsquo; overall sales in the domestic market were down 20 percent at 29,329 units (May 2018: 36,806). The key M&amp;HCV truck segment has come under pressure and yet again corrected by a massive 38 percent in the month to a new low of 7,683 units (May 2018:12,424). Even the tipper segment, which has thus been seeing good growth, has dropped by 22 percent to 2,539 units compared to the year-ago period.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Intermediate LCVs&nbsp;(ILCVs) have also come under pressure, dropping by 2 percent to 4,043 units. ILCVs, for whom E-commerce and discretionary consumption have been the two main drivers, are relatively less impacted by the revised axle load norms.</p>
<p>The new products introduced in the fast-growing 15-16 tonne segment and CNG products have been well accepted by the customers and now contribute to over 10 percent of volumes for Tata Motors. Sales of cargo SCVs and pickups &nbsp;are down by 18 percent to 12,695 units in May 2019. The company has now introduced the new Intra compact truck to take on the competition, in a bid to revive its position in the fast-growing small CV cargo segment. If Tata has something to smile about, then it is the commercial passenger carrier (bus) segment sales, which recovered after a high drop in April and sold 4,908 units in May 2019 (+4%). This uptick is due to the demand for school buses, with the new academic year having begun across India.</p>
<p>Commenting on the sales in May 2019, Girish Wagh, president, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit,&nbsp;Tata&nbsp;Motors&nbsp; said, &ldquo;Tata&nbsp;Motors&rsquo; CV business sales in the domestic market in May registered a drop of 20 percent. M&amp;HCV sales have taken the maximum hit, declining by 38 percent, at 7,683 units, essentially due to higher capacity after increased axle load, not yet matched by commensurate freight growth. The commercial passenger carrier segment sales was higher by 4% over last May. The school season has pushed up demand and is expected to be positive in the next month too. We are expecting an improvement in the economic conditions in the coming months and look forward to an improved buying sentiment.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland</span></strong> registered 6 percent growth in its overall domestic sales in the month to 12,778 units (May 2018: 12,077).&nbsp;Its overall M&amp;HCV sales are down 4 percent to 8,635 units; while truck numbers are down marginally by 2 percent, bus sales saw de-growth by 12 percent. The good news for the company is its popular Dost trucks continue to see demand. They sold a total of 4,143 units, up by 34 percent YoY (May 2018: 3,101).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></strong>&rsquo;s overall CV sales are down by 5 percent to 17,879 units (May 2018: 18,748). The company&rsquo;s M&amp;HCV sales dropped sharply by 45 percent to 637 units. While the below-3.5T GVW segment sold 16,321 units and down 3 percent YoY (May 2018:16,763), those in the above-3.5T GVW segment sold 921 units (+11%).</p>
<p>According to&nbsp;Rajan Wadhera, president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, &ldquo;While&nbsp;consumer sentiment and demand continued to be subdued during the pre-election phase, our focus has been on correcting the channel inventory. Now, with a stable government at the centre and the forecast of a near-normal monsoon, we hope to see an improvement in consumer sentiment over the next few months.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>&#39; sales declined by 15.6 percent in the month. The company sold 4,446 units in the domestic market (May 2018: 5,268 units).</p>
<p>The coming months, which will see the onset and spread of the monsoon, will be crucial to the fortunes of CV makers. While there doesn&#39;t seem to be much hope of an immediate uptick in sales, OEMs would be looking forward&nbsp; to a fiscal stimulus from new finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. All said and done, the CV industry, which is already engaged in the big technology shift to BS VI, will look to ride out&nbsp;the slowdown and hope sales traction returns by the time the festive season of Diwali comes up in October.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/new%20cv%20sales%20Untitled.png&h=485&w=735" style="width: 963px; height: 297px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[If the PV sector is seeing a marked downturn, what’s worrying is that commercial vehicles, seen as the barometer of the economy, are bearing the brunt of a slowing GDP.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/73d0eb51-50b6-4fbc-9cdf-df1eaa91e653.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/73d0eb51-50b6-4fbc-9cdf-df1eaa91e653.jpg&h=485&w=73543194https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/cv-sales-record-sharp-decline-in-may--may-drive-in-slow-lane-till-september-43194
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/cv-sales-record-sharp-decline-in-may--may-drive-in-slow-lane-till-september-43194Tue, 04 Jun 2019 11:57:00Tata Motors partners Indian Oil for driver care pit stops on National Highways<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7848ef4c-8691-4069-881b-4ae770e6462d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a move aimed at making life easier for commercial vehicle drivers, who typically traverse the length and breadth of India, CV market leader <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch?search=Tata%20Motors"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></a> has partnered Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), the largest commercial oil company in the country, to launch an innovative, industry-first driver welfare initiative called&nbsp;&lsquo;Saarthi Aaram Kendra&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<p>The initiative provides pit stops for drivers to take rest, thereby supporting their physical and mental well-being. The first of many Saarthi Aaram Kendras was inaugurated today at Bawal, Haryana, which is located on India&rsquo;s busiest National highways &ndash; NH8.</p>
<p>The Saarthi Aaram Kendra is a step forward towards recognizing the efforts of commercial vehicle drivers by providing them access to basic amenities on the go. The facility has been comprehensively designed to have&nbsp;an end-to-end solution for the saarthis, which includes restrooms, restaurant, secured parking with CCTV camera, self-cooking, launderette, open bathing facility, barber shop, clean drinking water facility, TV and Wi-Fi. Saarthis can also avail truck-related services from the vehicle service workshop available within the premises.</p>
<p>As a part of its ongoing commitment towards the saarthi community, Tata Motors recently also introduced an initiative &ndash; Tata Motors Samarth &ndash; which covers areas like accidental insurance, hospitalisation cover, financial counselling and educational assistance packages for their children, in order to achieve economic, social and health wellbeing of the saarthis and their families.</p>
<p>Along the same lines, Indian Oil through its Large Format ROs and &lsquo;Sarai&rsquo; has ensured comfort to long-distance drivers. Regular eye check-ups under the &lsquo;Ujala&rsquo; scheme, training on safe driving practices, distribution of driver kits are a few other initiatives that Indian Oil has taken up for the welfare of drivers.</p>
<p>Commenting on the initiative, Girish Wagh, president - CVBU, Tata Motors, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;At Tata Motors, ensuring road safety and comfort to our Saarthis is our priority. Saarthi Aaram Kendra is an initiative offering basic facilities on the go to the commercial vehicle saarthis. It offers an environment wherein saarthis will easily have access to their basic needs. This, in turn, will help them de-stress after long journeys and thereby improve their overall efficiency. We are glad to associate with IndianOil for this initiative bringing comfort and safety to the saarthis. In the initial phase, over 100 saarthis will benefit every day at this facility, which will be gradually scaled up.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to Vigyan Kumar, executive director (Retail Sales), Indian Oil,&ldquo;Indian Oil and Tata Motors have come together for various business tie-ups in the past. This new joint initiative on driver welfare activity will further improve the goodwill towards driver community. Indian Oil has always pioneered in taking various driver-centric initiatives at most of its highway retail outlets. Saarthi Aaram Kendra is another such unique initiative taken in this direction to cater to the daily needs of commercial vehicle drivers in a more efficient manner which will provide a feeling of homestay to them at our Retail outlets.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Going forward, Tata Motors and IOCL plan to set up more such facilities on high-traffic National Highways.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/tata-motors-rt-wasan-the-intra-is-a-new-platform-and-will-continue-to-evolve-in-sync-with-the-market-43070"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors&#39; RT Wasan: &#39;The Intra is a new platform and will continue to evolve in sync with the market.&#39;</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-launches-new-intra-compact-truck-at-rs-535-000-43072"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors launches new Intra compact truck at Rs 535,000</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[Saarthi Aaram Kendras will have restrooms, restaurant, secured parking, self-cooking, launderette, TV and Wi-Fi along with truck-related services from the vehicle service workshop.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7848ef4c-8691-4069-881b-4ae770e6462d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7848ef4c-8691-4069-881b-4ae770e6462d.jpg&h=485&w=73543165https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-partners-indian-oil-for-driver-care-pit-stops-on-national-highways-43165
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-partners-indian-oil-for-driver-care-pit-stops-on-national-highways-43165Fri, 31 May 2019 14:53:00DHL and StreetScooter develop new fuel cell electric delivery van<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4ab71ca9-cbe8-467b-b091-45b17d438ade.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>At the ongoing Green Tech Festival in Berlin, DHL Express and electric vehicle maker StreetScooter have announced their collaboration for a new electric delivery vehicle &ndash; the new H2 Panel Van.</strong></p>
<p>The new H2 Panel Van will become the first 4.25-tonne electric vehicle with an added fuel cell, which will provide additional power and enable a range up to 500 kilometres. In a first step, DHL Express has ordered 100 of the fuel cell vehicles, with delivery expected from 2020 through 2021.</p>
<p>&quot;Openness to new technologies is key to our overall strategy, which is why we&#39;re also supporting the use of this battery electric vehicle with additional fuel cell capability,&quot; says Andreas Scheuer, Germany&#39;s Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). &quot;If we want to promote alternative drive systems for climate-friendly delivery operations, then we need to make sure these new vehicles are priced competitively and capable of good range.&quot;&nbsp;</p>
<p>For Markus Reckling, CEO, DHL Express Germany, the new van fits in to the Group&#39;s larger environmental goals. &quot;With the H2 Panel Van, DHL Express becomes the first express provider to use a larger number of electric vehicles with fuel cells for last-mile logistics. This underscores our aspiration to be not only the fastest and most reliable provider on the market, but also the most climate friendly,&quot; says Reckling. &quot;The H2 Panel Van is another example of how Deutsche Post DHL Group is working towards its zero-emission goal for 2050.&quot;</p>
<p>For Fabian Schmitt, Chief Technical Officer at StreetScooter GmbH, the H2 has potential as a breakthrough solution. &quot;We firmly believe that fuel cells will play an increasing role in electric-powered transport, since they can give battery electric vehicles the kind of range that is so important for so many customers,&quot; says Schmitt. &quot;With the Panel Van, StreetScooter begins yet another chapter in its proud history of innovation and enters into a new growth phase.&quot;</p>
<p>The H2 Panel Van, which is based on the StreetScooter WORK XL delivery vehicle already used by DHL Parcel, features cargo capacity over 10 cubic metres (approximately 100 Express parcels). With a maximum payload of over 800kg, the H2 Panel Van achieves a maximum permissible weight of 4.25 tonnes.</p>
<p>In Germany, an exemption for lightweight battery electric commercial vehicles means that drivers with Class B licenses (normally for passenger cars or trucks up to 3.5 tonnes) can operate the H2 Panel Van. For now, DHL Express will be the exclusive user of the new vehicle. The Group currently has no plans to sell the H2 Panel Van to third parties outside Deutsche Post DHL Group.</p>
<p>As with the larger WORK XL, the H2 Panel Van will be realized in collaboration with Ford. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) as part of its National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP II).</p>
<![CDATA[The new H2 Panel Van will become the first 4.25-tonne EV with an added fuel cell, which will provide additional power and enable a range up to 500km.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4ab71ca9-cbe8-467b-b091-45b17d438ade.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4ab71ca9-cbe8-467b-b091-45b17d438ade.jpg&h=485&w=73543164https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dhl-and-streetscooter-develop-new-fuel-cell-electric-delivery-van-43164
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dhl-and-streetscooter-develop-new-fuel-cell-electric-delivery-van-43164Fri, 31 May 2019 14:30:00Daimler Trucks accelerates plan for SAE Level 4 highly automated driving with new division<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55d86318-f530-4baf-a56e-2451a8038f1d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch?search=Daimler%20Trucks"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler Trucks</span></a> is setting up a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/autonomous%20technology?search=autonomous%20technology"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Autonomous Technology</span></a> Group as a global organisation for automated driving, bringing together its worldwide expertise and activities, as of June&nbsp;1.</strong></p>
<p>The main tasks of the new unit comprise overall strategy and implementation of the automated driving roadmap, including research and development as well as setting up the required operations infrastructure and network, heading towards the series production of highly automated trucks (SAE Level&nbsp;4).</p>
<p>The newly established Autonomous Technology Group is part of Daimler Trucks&rsquo; global effort to put highly automated trucks onto the roads within a decade. To achieve this, Daimler Trucks announced an investment of more than&nbsp;500&nbsp;million euros (Rs 3,895 crore) at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January. In commercial trucking, Level&nbsp;4 is the logical next step after Level&nbsp;2 to increase safety as well as efficiency and productivity.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/18A1092%20%281%29_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 525px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Martin Daum: &quot;With the new unit, we will maximise the effectiveness of our automated driving efforts and the impact of our investments in this key strategic technology.&quot;&nbsp;</em></p>
<p>Commenting on the new unit, <strong>Martin Daum</strong>, <strong>Member of the Board of Management of Daimler&nbsp;AG responsible for Trucks &amp; Buses</strong>, said: &ldquo;We are the pioneer for automated trucks. With the formation of our global Autonomous Technology Group, we are taking the next step, underscoring the importance of highly automated driving for Daimler Trucks, the industry and society as well. With the new unit, we will maximise the effectiveness of our automated driving efforts and the impact of our investments in this key strategic technology. We will therefore be in the perfect position to put highly automated driving onto the roads, making transportation safer, saving lives and helping trucking companies boost their productivity.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">U.S.A. first market for highly automated driving</span></strong><br>
Effective June&nbsp;1, <strong>Dr. Peter Vaughan Schmidt, who is currently Head of Strategy Daimler Trucks</strong>, will lead this new, global and cross-divisional organization. In this position, he will continue to report directly to Martin Daum.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/19C0458_003.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 551px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Dr. Peter Vaughan Schmidt: &quot;In the first stage, we will focus on use cases of highly automated driving in defined areas and between defined hubs in the U.S.A.&quot;</em></p>
<p>Dr Schmidt has 15 years of experience in the industry and in his previous position, he has been responsible for the development of Daimler Trucks&rsquo; strategy on automated vehicles. He stated: &ldquo;With the Autonomous Technology Group, we are bringing together our global experts and their vast knowledge in automated trucking. In the first stage, we will focus on use cases of highly automated driving in defined areas and between defined hubs in the U.S.A. In doing so, we will work closely together with customers whose business matches this automated driving application. We will not only develop the respective technology but also set up the required operations infrastructure and network.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Roger Nielsen, CEO of Daimler Trucks North America</strong>&nbsp;(DTNA), which includes the market-leading Freightliner brand, commented: &ldquo;We at DTNA are excited to have our automated driving efforts backed by the Autonomous Technology Group. This new global organisation will enable us to even stronger evolve the technology for highly automated driving and vehicle integration for heavy-duty trucks at our Automated Truck Research &amp; Development Center in Portland. We&rsquo;re fully committed to demonstrating the enormous advantages of highly automated driving first here in the U.S.A.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Main activities of the new unit</span></strong><br>
Software development for highly automated driving will be one of the key activities of the Autonomous Technology Group. Another one will be the so-called vehicle project: On the one hand, the vehicle project will be responsible for the redundancy in the chassis enabling the vehicle&rsquo;s systems to take over roles of a professional driver while on the road, providing the highest safety.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the vehicle project will take care of the automated driving sensor kit integration (camera, lidar, radar), which &ndash; together with a very accurate map &ndash; is responsible for ensuring that the highly automated truck finds its own way on the road. The operations infrastructure and network to be set up by the Autonomous Technology Group &ndash; another key activity &ndash; will consist of one main vehicle control center as well as additional stations at logistics hubs.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">New unit to include Torc Robotics</span></strong><br>
The Autonomous Technology Group has a global reach with experts working in various locations throughout the company&rsquo;s worldwide development network, i.e. in Portland and Blacksburg (U.S.A.) and Stuttgart (Germany). More locations will follow as the test fleet is built up and deployed.</p>
<p>The Blacksburg-based company Torc Robotics will be part of the newly established Autonomous Technology Group, pending the authorities&rsquo; approval of the acquisition recently announced by Daimler Trucks. Both companies complement each other perfectly, with Torc&rsquo;s expertise in agile software development and Daimler Trucks&rsquo; experience in delivering reliable and safe truck hardware. Torc Robotics will remain a separate entity and retain its name, team, existing customers and facilities in Blacksburg. In addition, the founders of Torc Robotics will continue to be part of the company&rsquo;s management team.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Synergies across Daimler include passenger cars</span></strong><br>
Daimler Trucks says it will continue to work very closely on automated vehicle technology across Daimler, including joint activities with passenger cars, for leveraging synergies. At the same time, truck specifications require own development activities due to the entirely different nature of the system (one-box vs. articulated) and focus on highway goods transportation vs. inner-city passenger transportation.</p>
<p>Daimler Trucks is the pioneer of truck automation. In 2014, the world&rsquo;s leading truck manufacturer presented the Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025, the world&rsquo;s first automated truck, and was the first to demonstrate the technological opportunities and great potential that automated trucks offer the economy and society. In 2015, Daimler&rsquo;s Freightliner Inspiration Truck obtained the first-ever road license for a partially automated commercial vehicle, and in the same year, <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trials-convoy-connected-autonomous-trucks-11106"><span style="color:#FF0000;">the world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz Actros with Highway Pilot took place on public road</span></a>s.</p>
<p>With Active Drive Assist (Mercedes-Benz Actros, FUSO Super Great) and Detroit Assurance 5.0 with Active Lane Assist (Freightliner Cascadia), <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%84%A2s-new-freightliner-cascadia-with-level-2-automated-driving-premieres-at-ces-41775"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler Trucks is the first manufacturer to put partially automated driving features (SAE Level&nbsp;2) into series production.</span></a> The new system can independently brake, accelerate and steer. Unlike systems that only work above a certain speed, Active Drive Assist / Detroit Assurance 5.0 make partially automated driving possible for the driver in all speed ranges, also another first in a series-production truck. This revolutionary active lateral and longitudinal assistance package features a new state-of-the art radar and camera fusion system.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-truckskamaz-jv-opens-new-truck-cabin-plant-in-russia-43115"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler Trucks-Kamaz JV opens new truck cabin plant in Russia</span></a><br>
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-peek-future-autonomous-technology-29071"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Volkswagen Group gives a peek into the future of autonomous technology</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[New Autonomous Technology Group to implement Daimler Trucks’ effort to put highly automated trucks (SAE level 4) onto the roads within a decade.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55d86318-f530-4baf-a56e-2451a8038f1d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55d86318-f530-4baf-a56e-2451a8038f1d.jpg&h=485&w=73543145https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-accelerates-plan-for-sae-level-4-highly-automated-driving-with-new-division-43145
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-accelerates-plan-for-sae-level-4-highly-automated-driving-with-new-division-43145Wed, 29 May 2019 20:50:00Hyundai reveals electric double-decker bus at Korean tech fair<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b547685-e197-4540-a25e-797dcb215f4a.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Hyundai Motor today unveiled an electric double-decker bus, which is a first of its kind for the Korean automaker, and is part of the company&rsquo;s effort to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. The all-new electric double-decker bus is being showcased shown at the &lsquo;Land, Infrastructure and Transport Technology Fair&rsquo; held in Korea, co-hosted by Hyundai and the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (May 29 to 31).</strong></p>
<p>Hyundai says it worked for 18 months on the double-decker bus project, which began in 2017. The bus allows up to 70 passengers &ndash; 11 seats on the first floor and 59 seats on the second floor &ndash; 1.5 times as many passengers as compared to that of a regular bus. Through the implementation of two fixed-in-space wheelchairs, an automatic sliding ramp and low floor design, the double-decker bus secures added accessibility for disabled and mobility impaired passengers.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">300km on a single charge</span></strong><br />
Hyundai has equipped the all-new bus with a 384 kWh water-cooled high-efficiency polymer battery, with a maximum 300km driving range on a single charge. A full charge can be completed in 72 minutes.</p>
<p>The large electric double-decker bus, which is 12,990mm long and 3,995mm tall, runs on an independent suspension system in the first driving axle for a more comfortable ride, and a 240kW wheel motor axle combined with a motor in the second axle that minimises loss of electricity. A rear-wheel steering system works in coherence with the steering system of the first axle, optimizing steering performance.</p>
<p>&quot;The double-decker electric bus is an environmentally friendly vehicle optimised for global eco-friendly trends,&quot; said ByoungWoo Hwang, Head of Commercial Vehicle Advanced Engineering team at Hyundai Motor. &quot;This will not only ultimately improve the air quality, but also contribute greatly to easing commuting hour traffic congestion by accommodating more passengers.&quot;</p>
<p>On the safety front, the electric bus has Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) which helps identify the driver&#39;s intended driving direction and maintain the vehicle in control. There is also Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) that uses the car&rsquo;s front-facing camera to help detect an imminent collision and avoid impact or minimize damage by braking autonomously, and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) which helps prevent accidental lane departure by sensing road markings.</p>
<![CDATA[The 70-seater electric bus powered by 384kWh high-efficiency battery has a driving distance of 300 km with 72-minute full charging time.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b547685-e197-4540-a25e-797dcb215f4a.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b547685-e197-4540-a25e-797dcb215f4a.jpg&h=485&w=73543143https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/hyundai-reveals-electric-doubledecker-bus-at-korean-tech-fair-43143
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/hyundai-reveals-electric-doubledecker-bus-at-korean-tech-fair-43143Wed, 29 May 2019 17:19:00SML Isuzu reports profit of Rs 22 crore in Jan-Mar 2019, up 47%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3dbe4fb4-7893-47e4-96e5-39b03a392e04.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch?search=SML%20Isuzu"><span style="color:#FF0000;">SML Isuzu</span></a>, the Chandigarh-based commercial vehicle manufacturer has announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 (Q1 CY2019) where it announced its revenue from operations as Rs 429 crore (16% growth over Q1 CY2018;Rs 369 crore). The profits after tax in the same period came to Rs 22 crore, a growth of 47 percent (Q1 CY2018: Rs 14.87 crore).</strong></p>
<p>Considering the whole year ending on March 2019, SML Isuzu has reported a fall of 20 percent in total income from Rs 1,777 crore in FY2017-18 to Rs 1,413 crore in FY2018-19. However, the CV OEM saw a YoY growth of 130 percent in its yearly profits with Rs 19.57 crore.</p>
<p>Products from SML Isuzu includes CNG trucks, tipper chassis, conventional trucks in various segments and buses. As part of its international venture, SML Isuzu had launched Samrat HS light commercial vehicle (LCV) at the recently held second edition of the Indo-Bangla Automotive Show in Dhaka.<br />
<br />
<strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/sml-isuzu-launch-products-annually-enters-13t-segment-4812"><span style="color:#FF0000;">SML Isuzu to launch 2-4 products annually</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/sml-isuzu-plans-hcvs-buses-isuzu-platform-1822"><span style="color:#FF0000;">SML Isuzu plans M&amp;HCVs</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[SML Isuzu records a profit of 130 percent in the Apr-Mar 2019 period in spite of reporting a 20 percent YoY decline in income in the same period.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3dbe4fb4-7893-47e4-96e5-39b03a392e04.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3dbe4fb4-7893-47e4-96e5-39b03a392e04.jpg&h=485&w=73543137https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/sml-isuzu-reports-profit-of-rs-22-crore-in-janmar-2019--up-47-43137
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/sml-isuzu-reports-profit-of-rs-22-crore-in-janmar-2019--up-47-43137Wed, 29 May 2019 12:32:00Daimler Trucks-Kamaz JV opens new truck cabin plant in Russia<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d0a8b322-dc3d-4aa5-aca1-577db625938f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/daimler?search=daimler">Daimler</a> Kamaz Rus, the joint venture between <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/daimler%20trucks?search=daimler%20trucks">Daimler Trucks</a> and its Russian partner Kamaz, has opened a brand new truck cabin production facility in Naberezhnye Chelny.</strong></p>
<p>The new facility covering 59,600&nbsp;square metres&nbsp;will be an integral part of the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and will closely cooperate with the lead plant in Worth, Germany. A key highlight of the new facility will be the further localisation of truck cabins for both <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/mercedes-benz?search=mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> and Kamaz trucks, with more than 150 single components already localized at Russian suppliers. The cabins for the latest Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs models for the Russian market will be locally manufactured in the new production site.</p>
<p>With an investment of 200&nbsp;million euros, the new state-of-the-art production facility creates up to 700 new jobs, increasing the local DK Rus workforce to more than 1,000 employees. Following best practices exchange among Daimler Trucks global production experts, the new line serves as a lighthouse project to bring Daimler Trucks&rsquo; expertise to the Russian market.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Daimler Trucks bullish on Russia</span></strong><br>
According to Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks worldwide, &ldquo;We believe in the Russian market and its growth potential. The new cabin facility is another key element in our strategy to be close to our customers and to continuously strengthen our market presence around the globe. This plant is one of the most innovative facilities in the Russian automotive sector and the latest proof of our longstanding commitment to our joint venture Daimler Kamaz Rus.&quot;</p>
<p>For Daimler Trucks, Russia, which is one of the largest commercial vehicle markets worldwide, has a potential for continuous transportation demand and is therefore of key strategic importance. Overall, Daimler Trucks is expecting modest but continued market growth over the coming years.</p>
<p>Within the past 10 years, DK Rus assembled and sold more than 30,000 Mercedes-Benz and Fuso trucks in Naberezhnye Chelny for the Russian market.</p>
<p>The new production facility has a total capacity of up to 55,000 units per year and is equipped to produce several cabin models for the Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs trucks model series for the Russian market as well as for Kamaz heavy-duty products. With more than 120 robots and advanced camera measurement technology, it is one of the highest automated plants in Russia. Installing the equipment was an extraordinary task that took more than 500 trucks to transport it to Russia.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/19C0446_03%20%281%29.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 551px;" title=""></p>
<p>Another highlight is the installation of innovative 3D-printer technology for plastic parts ensuring a quick and cost effective support of equipment maintenance. Introduction of such Industry 4.0 technology results in new job profiles that require extensive training of the new workforce in cooperation with Kamaz and local universities and training institutes.</p>
<p>The new cabin production facility will be an integral part of the global Mercedes-Benz trucks production network and will closely cooperate with the lead plant in Wörth. The new site in Chelny serves as an important milestone in the strategic product roll out of the current portfolio of Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty trucks worldwide. In August 2018, Daimler Kamaz Rus introduced the latest generation Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs to the Russian market, for which the facility will serve as cabin production site. In October 2018 the new Actros won the prestigious Russian &lsquo;Truck of the Year&rsquo; award.<br>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-opens-bharatbenz-service-facility-in-bhutan-42885">Daimler Trucks opens BharatBenz service facility i...</a><br>
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/former-daimler-trucks-asia-boss-marc-llistosella-%C2%A0joins-einride-42853">Former Daimler Trucks Asia boss Marc Llistosella &nbsp;...</a><br>
&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Cabin production in Chelny will be part of Mercedes-Benz global production network; further localisation for both Mercedes-Benz and Kamaz trucks with over 150 single components already localised at Russian suppliers.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d0a8b322-dc3d-4aa5-aca1-577db625938f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d0a8b322-dc3d-4aa5-aca1-577db625938f.jpg&h=485&w=73543115https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-truckskamaz-jv-opens-new-truck-cabin-plant-in-russia-43115
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-truckskamaz-jv-opens-new-truck-cabin-plant-in-russia-43115Mon, 27 May 2019 18:43:00Ashok Leyland Q4 FY2019 profit at Rs 653 crore, down 12%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/26eebe7a-b78f-4345-ae0c-89063a903c24.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/ashok%20leyland">Ashok Leyland</a>, flagship of the Hinduja Group reported a revenue of Rs 29,055 crore and a net profit of Rs. 1,983 crore for FY 2018-19. It posted a 10.8 percent EBITDA margin for FY19. The company reported a 12 percent YoY decline in profits with Rs 653 crore.</strong></p>
<p>As per SIAM, the domestic MHCV industry volume in Q4 de-grew by 4 percent for FY2018-19 to 112,469 units. Ashok Leyland claims that its volumes grew by 1 percent to 41,519 units in the domestic market making its Q4 MHCV market share up at 36.9 percent as against 35.1 percent last year.</p>
<p>According to the financial report, the OEMs the profits before exceptional item and tax was at Rs 818 crore and volume for LCV increased by 8 percent to 15,502 units in Q4 FY2019. In FY2019, Ashok Leyland&rsquo;s revenue increased by 10 percent to Rs 29,055 crore against Rs 26,356 crore last year. In the same period, the company reported its profit before exceptional item and tax at Rs 2,554 crore, up by 6 percent. Its total MHCV volume including exports was reported at 142,858 units, a growth of 9 percent and the volume for LCV increased by 25 percent, closing at 54,508 units.</p>
<p>Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland said, &ldquo;I am pleased that we have been able to maintain our market share despite competitive pressures and be profitable in the face of rising costs of input materials and regulatory changes. Our LCV programme continues its winning streak. We are well on our way to successful introduction of BS 6 and together with a range of products planned across the spectrum in FY &#39;21, I am confident of maintaining the current growth momentum. In the medium term, we believe this sector holds strong potential which is crucial to the growth of the economy.&quot;</p>
<p>Gopal Mahadevan, chief financial officer, Ashok Leyland added, &quot;We have grown our market share in both trucks and buses in the fourth quarter and will continue to focus on the twin engines of growth and profitability. We continue to be net cash positive at the year end with over Rs 700 crores of cash.&quot;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-bags-400bus-order-from-senegal-senbus-industries-43014"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland bags 400-bus order from Senegal&#39;s Senbus Industries</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/setco-auto-wins-top-supplier-awards-from-ashok-leyland-42866"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Setco Auto wins top supplier awards from Ashok Leyland</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[With the success of its LCV portfolio and with a net cash positive at the year end with over Rs 700 crores of cash Ashok Leyland promises successful introduction of BS 6.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/26eebe7a-b78f-4345-ae0c-89063a903c24.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/26eebe7a-b78f-4345-ae0c-89063a903c24.jpg&h=485&w=73543102https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-q4-fy2019-profit-at-rs-653-crore--down-12-43102
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-q4-fy2019-profit-at-rs-653-crore--down-12-43102Fri, 24 May 2019 16:57:00Piaggio sets up new CV dealerships in Mohali and Panchkula<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d9e3542a-cac8-454b-b35c-c225b0e15b9c.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/piaggio">Piaggio</a> Vehicles, one of the leading manufacturer of small commercial vehicles in India opened two new dealerships at Mohali, Punjab and Panchkula, Haryana. The dealerships will sell entire range of the Ape and Porter vehicles. </strong></p>
<p>The dealerships were inaugurated by Malind Kapur, senior VP marketing, commercial vehicle business, Piaggio Vehicles. The company says it aims to increase its commercial vehicle offering across of the country, and the opening of these new dealerships is a step in that direction.</p>
<p>With this move, Piaggio has now crossed the 450 dealership mark in the country, and now has 1,100 touchpoints across India.</p>
<p>Malind Kapur, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;It is our endeavour to continue providing best in class offerings to our customers which are not only best in technology but also are most suited for higher earnings. We want to reach out to as many customers as possible and create a good foothold in all the cities across India. It is imperative to strengthen our presence in Tri-city as it is one of the largest markets in Punjab with larger focus on CNG vehicles. Piaggio has the one of the largest range of CNG three-wheeler vehicles in India with best in class technology like the Water-cooled engine in both passenger and cargo segment.&rdquo;<br />
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Also Read:&nbsp;<br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-to-bring-new-sub200cc-scooter-to-india-42964">Piaggio to bring new sub-200cc scooter to India</a><br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-to-deliver-1-500-cvs-to-ananda-dairy-42725">Piaggio to deliver 1,500 CVs to Ananda Dairy</a></p>
<![CDATA[With the addition of the 2 new dealership, Piaggio has now crossed the 450 CV dealership mark in India.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d9e3542a-cac8-454b-b35c-c225b0e15b9c.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d9e3542a-cac8-454b-b35c-c225b0e15b9c.JPG&h=485&w=73543085https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-sets-up-new-cv-dealerships-in-mohali-and-panchkula-43085
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-sets-up-new-cv-dealerships-in-mohali-and-panchkula-43085Thu, 23 May 2019 12:05:00Tata Motors launches new Intra compact truck at Rs 535,000<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c4159f79-cb58-46a7-a3fc-ae899b94a86a.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Commercial vehicle market leader <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/tata%20motors?search=tata%20motors">Tata Motors</a> launched its brand-new truck and platform &ndash; the Intra &ndash; in Chennai today. Calling it a &lsquo;compact truck&rsquo; as a new segment in the small commercial vehicle (SCV) segment, the Intra comes after four years of development. Tata Motors says that with extensive market research and customer feedback, the Intra is engineered and built to offer class-leading features, meeting the demanding and ever-evolving requirements of the SCV industry.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The Tata Intra promises to deliver superior performance, increased payload capacity, high fuel efficiency and durability, all leading to significant increase in revenues and lowest cost of operation to the discerning owners.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With a best-in-class 2512mm x 1602mm load body length, the Tata Intra comes in two variants &ndash;&nbsp;V10 and V20 &ndash; with pricing starting from Rs 535,000&nbsp;onwards&nbsp;depending on the variant. The Tata Intra is powered by future-ready engines, which are scalable to BS VI emission norms.&nbsp;While the Intra V20 comes with a 1400cc DI engine with 70hp, the Intra V10 is&nbsp;powered&nbsp;by an 800cc DI engine delivering 40hp, both offering quick acceleration, faster trips and low turnaround time.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/IMG_7929_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p>The vehicle has a standard power steering fitment and with a low turning circle radius of 4.75m, it ensures easy manoeuvrability even&nbsp;on narrow and congested roads.&nbsp;The powertrain is tuned to suit various duty cycles using a &lsquo;Gear Shift Advisor&rsquo; or economy switch, leading to enhanced fuel efficiency. The Intra also has a 5-speed gearbox with cable shift mechanism offering a pleasurable driving experience.</p>
<p>Speaking at the launch,&nbsp; Guenter Butschek, CEO and MD, Tata Motors, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;As the leader in the commercial vehicle industry, we are playing a key role in shaping the CV market by introducing global products based on deep customer insights. We have strengthened our actions under the ongoing turnaround. With intense sales activation, new product launches, continued thrust on cost reduction, we have been able to improve our CV business performance. We want to strengthen our leadership position across all segments we operate in. The Tata Intra is a testament of our unrelenting commitment to introduce products that embody engineering passion and bolster customer value proposition and it will be a game-changer for us in the SCV segment as it offers several industry-first features, setting high standards in the market.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Commenting on the launch of Tata Intra vehicles, Girish Wagh, president &ndash; Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors,&nbsp;said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Customer preferences are shifting everyday towards better performance,&nbsp;advanced features and higher returns. After thorough research, we learnt about the growing aspirations of new-age customers. These insights have helped us conceptualise and develop the Tata Intra. It is ideal for customers who want to upgrade their commercial vehicles for higher business returns and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), enabled by proven and reliable aggregates and driving comfort leading to longer, fatigue-free drives. We have always led the industry and created new sub-segments to create&nbsp;demand. The launch of India&rsquo;s first compact truck fills an important gap in the Indian SCV market and we are bringing yet another game-changing product after our very successful Tata Ace.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Innovative features</span></strong><br>
The Tata Intra has a boltable, full-forward robust body shell cabin and has been intelligently designed with a smart nose along with seatbelts with ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor). Built on a hydroformed frame, the Intra is comparatively lighter.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/TATA%20INTRA%20INTERIOR%20.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 1056px;" title=""></p>
<p>The smartly engineered cabin space, improved ergonomics and low NVH levels, boasts stylish car-like interiors with sufficient storage capacity and comfortable seating, enabling&nbsp;drivers to operate fatigue-free over long hauls, which in turn offers significant improvement in productivity. Modern features such as mobile charging point, electronic instrument cluster, big headlamps, large windscreen, lockable glovebox, storage on dashboard and door trims, headrest for comfort while driving, pre-fitted music system and AC in the premium version to enhance the fatigue-free driving experience.</p>
<p>The gear lever is mounted on the dashboard making longer drives comfortable and tireless for the driver. The front and rear rigid axles and leaf springs ensure superior load carrying capability and low cost of maintenance.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Network strategy and aftermarket services</span></strong><br>
Tata Motors, which has the most extensive network and extended sales network in the form of Tata Gram Mitra, aims to penetrate even into small towns with the Intra. The Intra comes with an industry best warranty of 2 years or 72,000km, supported by a countrywide network for sales, service and spare parts. Further, reliable and durable aggregates of the Intra combined with its best-in-class spare part prices ensure low cost of maintenance.<br>
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Customers will benefit from aftermarket support through value added services under the umbrella of &lsquo;Sampoorna Seva&rsquo; including 24X7 workshops, mobile workshops, AMC packages, breakdown assistance and accidental insurance for drivers of the the Intra. Customers will also be offered exclusive privileges under the &lsquo;Samarth program&rsquo; for driver wellness, which covers areas like accidental insurance, hospitalisation cover, financial counselling and educational assistance packages for their children.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/autocar-professional-may-15-magazine-edition-packs-many-an-ace-43011"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Autocar Professional&#39;s May 15 issue has the Tata Intra as its lead cover story</span></a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-has-a-new-ace-up-its-sleeve-the-intra-42921"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors has a new ace up its sleeve: the Intra</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/tata-motors-rt-wasan-the-intra-is-a-new-platform-and-will-continue-to-evolve-in-sync-with-the-market-43070"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Interview with&nbsp;R T Wasan, VP&nbsp;(Sales &amp; Marketing), CVBU, Tata Motors</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Tata Intra powered by future-ready engines, which are scalable to BS VI; promises to deliver superior performance, increased payload capacity, high fuel efficiency and durability]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c4159f79-cb58-46a7-a3fc-ae899b94a86a.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c4159f79-cb58-46a7-a3fc-ae899b94a86a.jpg&h=485&w=73543072https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-launches-new-intra-compact-truck-at-rs-535-000-43072
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-launches-new-intra-compact-truck-at-rs-535-000-43072Wed, 22 May 2019 15:58:00Tata Motors' RT Wasan: 'The Intra is a new platform and will continue to evolve in sync with the market.'<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cdc0d3d7-b390-46fc-99f6-32069ee923ad.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>With the all-new Intra platform, which will spawn a family of mini-trucks in the future, &nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/tata%20motors?search=tata%20motors">Tata Motors</a> looks to challenge a hard-charging Mahindra &amp; Mahindra in the booming small CV market. With the bigger and wider Intra, which offers the promise of more profitability to users, Tata Motors aims to attract customers looking to upgrade from the popular Ace. R T Wasan,Vice-President (Sales &amp; Marketing), Commercial Vehicle&nbsp;Business Unit, Tata Motors, speaks to Autocar Professional&#39;s Kiran Bajad.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><em><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20IMG_8165.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 272px;" title=""></em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">The pickup market in India is seeing strong growth. The Mahindra Bolero range is seeing strong demand. Will the Intra platform help Tata Motors make gains in the SCV segment?</span></strong><br>
Yes, clearly. In the small commercial vehicle (SCV) segment, there is the mini-truck segment and the pickup segment. The new Intra will certainly help us create that space to grow our business. As we progress with the launch of the Intra in the next few weeks, our portfolio will unfold.</p>
<p>We now have a portfolio of products starting from 500kg to the Xenon Yodha. We will have different products at various tonnage points to cater to varied needs of our customers.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">The Intra is a new ground-up platform. What is the rollout plan for variants?</span></strong><br>
Intra is a new platform and like any new platform, it will continue to evolve in due course of time with the market. Depending upon customer demand and requirements, new variants will be added to the Intra family over a period of time. For example, when we launched the Ace in 2005 it was just one product but over time it has transformed into a family of products including the Ace HT, Ace Excel, Zip and Super Ace.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Can you take us through the Intra&rsquo;s developmental process?</span></strong><br>
We went about this new product development in a structured and systematic manner by carrying out an extensive study across India. We connected with over 3,500 customers, taking critical feedback from each one on all aspects of running their business &mdash; what they expect from a small CV and the key areas they want us to address.</p>
<p>Based on such a massive understanding from our customers, we went about creating the new product concept for the Intra, developing, testing and making it market-ready. We are quite satisfied with the final product, the power, interior and exterior design. We are confident our customers will embrace the new Intra.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What were the key customer expectations the team discovered after close customer interaction and extensive research?</span></strong><br>
There are several key customer insights we have built into the vehicle, like the way the vehicle performs and its features. For example, the spaciousness inside the cabin, need for fatigue-free driving, and the comfort of an AC cabin.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20INTRA%20Interior%2026-03-20190288.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 481px;" title=""></p>
<p>Similarly, a few of the inputs on the Intra&rsquo;s drivetrain have been based on customer expectations. The entire product development, right from design through to final product rollout has been done by our in-house teams.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">How do you foresee the small commercial vehicle segment from an opportunity point of view?</span></strong><br>
I will not talk about any numbers here but generally, the SCV segment is driven by consumption. Depending upon the overall economic performance, there is going to be reasonable growth taking place.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What is the strategy to ensure customer satisfaction?</span></strong><br>
One of our key strengths is the commitment to support our customers with this new product, as we do with our other products. One aspect of this is our Sampoorna Seva, which offers complete peace of mind to our customers by taking care of every need of them either by Tata Alert, Tata Suraksha, Insurance, Finance and AMC. This is highly appreciated by our customers.</p>
<p>Besides this, we recently launched Tata Samarth where we are specifically trying to focus on uplifting the quality of life of the SCV buyers &mdash; both drivers and owner-drivers. In this segment, a large number of them are owner-drivers. We take care of their insurance, support their kids&#39; education, give financial education for a savings habit. Lastly, in the event of an unfortunate accidental causality, we take care of their families.&nbsp; Thus, the Tata Samarth package is appreciated by our customers.</p>
<p>Our products, supported by these unique initiatives, ensure our customers are fully looked after when they are with the Tata brand.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Are you planning to export the Intra?</span></strong><br>
It is too early to comment on this, but we will certainly look at all the possibilities for this product.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-has-a-new-ace-up-its-sleeve-the-intra-42921"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors has a new ace up its sleeve: the Intra</span></a><br>
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-inks-mou-with-j&amp;k-bank-to-reach-out-to-cv-buyers-43021"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors inks MoU with J&amp;K Bank to reach out to...</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Tata Motors' latest salvo at the small CV market is the Intra, which bears of promise of increased profitability for the operator.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cdc0d3d7-b390-46fc-99f6-32069ee923ad.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cdc0d3d7-b390-46fc-99f6-32069ee923ad.jpg&h=485&w=73543070https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/tata-motors-rt-wasan-the-intra-is-a-new-platform-and-will-continue-to-evolve-in-sync-with-the-market-43070
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/tata-motors-rt-wasan-the-intra-is-a-new-platform-and-will-continue-to-evolve-in-sync-with-the-market-43070Wed, 22 May 2019 10:13:00First new Mercedes-Benz Actros rolls off the production line<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0c55fd12-d4de-4de5-b4a2-09e793cfbda3.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>At the <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/mercedes-benz?search=mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> plant in Worth, a sapphire-blue Actros 1851 LS 4x2 became the first customer vehicle to roll off the production line. The milestone moment comes five years after the plant started intensive preparations for the new Actros along the product development process using state-of-the-art technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR).</strong></p>
<p>The assembly of the vehicle was simulated on the basis of digital models in a special VR room in order to realise the production process in an optimal way. Around 50 projects with suppliers, also initiated by the Worth Supplier Management experts, were started early on in order to implement smoothly the new systems and technologies contained in the vehicle at the start of production.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/19C0383_003.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 1103px;" title=""></p>
<p>Together with all other series of the plant, the new Actros runs flexibly, depending on the customer&#39;s order, over one and the same assembly line. In order to deal with the further increased complexity, a large number of adjustments and innovations were also made in the assembly itself. The new Multimedia Cockpit of the Actros required a significant spatial expansion of the cockpit pre-assembly. Furthermore, comprehensive adjustments were made in the area of testing and commissioning technology and new test benches were implemented, where the employees individually calibrate every single MirrorCam &ndash; which replaces the conventional exterior mirrors in the new Actros standardly.</p>
<p>In preparation for the new Actros&#39; significantly increased functions over those of its predecessor extensive qualification concepts have been developed. Over 1,100 employees from Worth were intensively trained to be optimally prepared for the start-up of the new truck and to pass on their knowledge later as multipliers. Appropriate training courses have been held in the work preparation workshop, in technical training and further education as well as directly on site at the assembly line.</p>
<p>Ergonomics also played an important role when planning the production processes. Each individual work step was carefully examined in advance &ndash; all with the aim of optimally designing the production conditions for the employees. For example, electrical connectors that connect the cab to the chassis have been selected with a plug and pull aid that is particularly easy to assemble for the employees.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Centre of competence</span></strong><br>
In 2018, the new Actros was presented at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair. In addition to Mercedes-Benz Worth plant, the new flagship truck will also roll off the assembly line in Aksaray in Turkey. The Worth plant plays a leading and multiplier role in the worldwide production network of Mercedes-Benz trucks when new technologies and modern manufacturing processes are first introduced.</p>
<p>The specialists in Worth prepare production start-ups in the production facilities around the world and accompany them on site. For the new Actros around 120 colleagues from other production locations are being intensively trained in new product and process technologies in the work preparation workshop in Worth for their multiplier function in their &lsquo;home&rsquo; plants.</p>
<p>Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said: &ldquo;For the new Mercedes-Benz Actros, we have developed solutions with the clear goal of making it the safest, most efficient and most connected truck ever. Thanks to our expertise in the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, we are now putting it on the road. The Actros is now ready for its customers.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">New Actros highlights&nbsp;</span></strong><br>
The Actros, which is the flagship of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, has sold more than 1.2 million units since the launch of the first Actros generation in 1996.</p>
<p>One of the major innovations&nbsp;is Active Drive Assist. Mercedes-Benz Trucks is bringing with this new innovation semi-automated driving in all speed ranges into series production. It can independently steer, brake and accelerate the truck under certain conditions. While the responsibility for monitoring the traffic situation remains with driver, the system significantly relieves the driver and makes an important contribution to increasing road safety.</p>
<p>Another world first is the standard-fit MirrorCam. It replaces the main mirror and wide-angle mirror in the new Actros. The system consists of two cameras mounted on the outside of the vehicle, whose images are shown on two 15-inch displays on the A-pillars in the driver&#39;s cab, giving the driver a much improved all-round view.</p>
<p>The new Multimedia Cockpit is the centre of connectivity in the new Actros. The primary display replaces the conventional instrument cluster so that the driver can see all the assistance systems and the new traffic sign recognition function at a glance. A second touchscreen on the instrument panel serves the purpose of apps selection from the Mercedes-Benz Truck App Portal, virtual switches and presenting the new navigation system.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">The Worth plant</span></strong><br>
The Worth plant, which is largest truck assembly plant of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, was founded in Wörth am Rhein in 1963 and produces the Mercedes-Benz Antos, Arocs and Atego trucks &ndash; as well as the Actros, the world&#39;s most successful heavy-duty truck, for more than 20 years. The Mercedes-Benz special trucks Econic, Unimog and Zetros are also built here. Up to 470 trucks customized according to customer requirements leave Worth every day.</p>
<p>The Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth also has more than 50 years of experience in CKD (Completely Knocked Down) production, and delivers vehicle kits to numerous overseas markets for local final assembly &ndash; more than 750,000 kits until today.</p>
<p>Also Read:<br>
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mercedesbenz-previews-its-vision-of-safe-mobility-with-esf-2019-43059">Mercedes-Benz previews its vision of safe mobility...</a></p>
<![CDATA[Series production of the flagship truck begins in the largest Mercedes-Benz truck assembly plant at Worth.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0c55fd12-d4de-4de5-b4a2-09e793cfbda3.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0c55fd12-d4de-4de5-b4a2-09e793cfbda3.jpg&h=485&w=73543065https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/first-new-mercedesbenz-actros-rolls-off-the-production-line-43065
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/first-new-mercedesbenz-actros-rolls-off-the-production-line-43065Tue, 21 May 2019 14:47:00Tata Motors inks MoU with J&K Bank to reach out to CV buyers<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7f13727b-fb0f-401a-b5ad-1830e71a398e.jpeg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a bid to increase sales in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Tata Motors&rsquo; commercial vehicle unit&nbsp;has inked an MoU with the&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir Bank to offer retail finance&nbsp;solutions for&nbsp;its entire range of cargo and passenger&nbsp;carriers.</strong></p>
<p>J&amp;K Bank, founded in 1938, has a large presence&nbsp;with over 1,000&nbsp;branches, spread across&nbsp;the country. It functions as a universal bank in Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;With the launch of&nbsp;&lsquo;Digital India&rsquo;&nbsp;campaign, J&amp;K Bank has moved most of its products on customer-centric technology platforms and has developed a leading edge in playing a significant role in the retail banking space.</p>
<p>Signing the MoU,&nbsp;R T Wasan, vice president- sales and marketing, CVBU,&nbsp;Tata Motors, said, &ldquo;This is a welcome partnership between two organisations who have a&nbsp;similar&nbsp;culture of contributing to society&nbsp;which will hugely benefit the customers particularly in J&amp;K. We are absolutely confident that this will help us&nbsp;increase our reach in the state of J&amp;K and help us&nbsp;serve our customers in an efficient and delightful manner.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Parvez Ahmed, chairman and CEO of J&amp;K Bank, said, &ldquo;We are delighted to&nbsp;join hands with&nbsp;Tata Motors&nbsp;and&nbsp;have aligned our organisation structure, processes and systems to bring about an accelerated growth in the retail banking space.&nbsp;This MoU will help us to generate wonderful employment opportunities in J&amp;K and other parts of the country.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Tata Motors&#39; commercial vehicle portfolio comprises end-to-end smart transport solutions starting from sub-1 tonne, going upto above 55 tonnes vehicles in cargo and construction applications. The company, which&nbsp;also has a passenger vehiicle range, has one of the widest sales and service distribution network of 3,798 touchpoints in India.&nbsp;In J&amp;K,&nbsp;Tata Motors claims to enjoy an 81 percent market share in trucks&nbsp;and plans to further extend its share through this new connect with the J&amp;K Bank.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:<span style="color:#FF0000;">&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-has-a-new-ace-up-its-sleeve-the-intra-42921"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors has a new ace up its sleeve: the Intra</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors--mahindra-cv-sales-begin-fy2020-in-slow-lane-42888"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors, Mahindra CV sales begin FY2020 in slow lane</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors-maintains-cv-leadership-amidst-intense-competition-42705"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors maintains CV leadership amidst intense competition</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-grabs-10-market-share-in-india%E2%80%99s-minitruck-market-42687"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Maruti Super Carry grabs 10% market share in India&rsquo;s mini-truck market</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Intended for boosting its CV sales in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Tata Motors ties up with J&K bank to facilitate the purchase of commercial vehicles in the state.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7f13727b-fb0f-401a-b5ad-1830e71a398e.jpeg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7f13727b-fb0f-401a-b5ad-1830e71a398e.jpeg&h=485&w=73543021https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-inks-mou-with-j&k-bank-to-reach-out-to-cv-buyers-43021
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-inks-mou-with-j&k-bank-to-reach-out-to-cv-buyers-43021Thu, 16 May 2019 17:40:00Ashok Leyland bags 400-bus order from Senegal's Senbus Industries<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d9ad9530-c2b0-4e79-bddf-e5649326854b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/ashok%20leyland">Ashok Leyland</a> has bagged an order for 400 units of it Eagle 916 minibuses from Senbus Industries, a company assembling urban buses in Dakar, Senegal. The company has signed a contract valued at&nbsp;10.06 million euros&nbsp;(Rs 83 crore). The company says this order comes on the back of the successful operation of 475 buses to Senegal&rsquo;s Dakar Dem Dikk.</strong></p>
<p>This project will provide mobility solutions to the country by expanding reach and covering the remote areas through AFTU, a leading private bus association of operator groups that run buses extensively across Senegal.</p>
<p>Arijit Dutta Chowdhury, vice president &ndash;project and defense sales, international operations, Ashok Leyland, said, &ldquo;Ashok Leyland has been at the forefront of providing public transportation and to offer world-class solutions to Senegal. We are very pleased to receive this order from Senbus Industries. This order will be a starting phase to connect rural remote areas of Senegal to urban cities and to promote sustainable mobility. This will further empower the private transport sector in Senegal under AFTU.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="Ashok Leyland Eagle 916 bus " src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Ashok%20Leyland%20Eagle%20916%20bus.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Ashok Leyland Eagle 916 bus "></p>
<p>A special aspect of this project is that Senbus Industries will be supplied with Semi Knocked Down buses and the Indian bus manufacturer&nbsp;will be collaborating with Senbus on assembling them locally in Senegal. Ashok Leyland&rsquo;s team of engineers will work extensively with the skilled team at Senbus for vehicle assembly, delivering high-quality finished products and aftersales support. A full-fledged workshop is also being planned at Dakar by Senbus Industries.</p>
<p>Ashok Leyland claims that the Eagle 916 bus is a strong and sturdy platform, which has been developed exclusively for Africa. Featuring inline pump with Euro III emission norms, extensive on-road product trials have been carried out with various customers in Africa. The capital of Senegal will start receiving buses towards the end of June this year.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/ashok%20leyland">Ashok Leyland</a> is currently the fourth largest manufacturer of buses in the world and India&rsquo;s largest bus manufacturer. This order would further consolidate its leadership position.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/ashok-leyland-maintains-leadership-in-heavyduty-buses-in-fy2019-42680"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland maintains leadership in heavy-duty buses in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Ashok Leyland has received an order for 400 units of Ashok Leyland Eagle 916 minibuses from Senbus Industries, a company assembling urban buses in Dakar.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d9ad9530-c2b0-4e79-bddf-e5649326854b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d9ad9530-c2b0-4e79-bddf-e5649326854b.jpg&h=485&w=73543014https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-bags-400bus-order-from-senegal-senbus-industries-43014
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-bags-400bus-order-from-senegal-senbus-industries-43014Thu, 16 May 2019 11:45:00Maruti Suzuki India opens 300th CV showroom in less than 3 years<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1da41e80-8eb1-4839-8f9d-02b5815aa1e2.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Maruti Suzuki India has strengthened its commercial vehicle network with inauguration of its 300th showroom. The company says its commercial vehicle network is amongst the fastest growing automobile retail channels in India, and it has opened 300 outlets in less than three years, and is present in over 230 cities.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>With the recent addition, Maruti Suzuki India now has a robust sales network &ndash; Arena, Nexa and Commercial &ndash; of over 2,940 showrooms covering more than 1,860 towns and cities. The company says according to its internal research, nearly half of the company&rsquo;s customers are businessmen, small traders or are self-employed. This it says led to Maruti Suzuki&rsquo;s foray into the commercial segment in September 2016.</p>
<p>Commenting on the roll out of 300th Commercial retail channel,&nbsp; Shashank Srivastava, executive director &ndash; Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India said,&nbsp;&ldquo;The LCV segment has been the largest volume contributor in the commercial vehicle industry in the country. Globally, Suzuki Motor Corporation has expertise in this segment and the Super Carry is part of that lineage. The Super Carry for India has been developed specifically keeping in mind the unique requirements of the Indian mini-truck customer. Starting the commercial segment with Super Carry, we have rapidly rolled out our network to keep pace with the growing demand and business opportunity for light commercial vehicles. With the growth in entrepreneurship and businesses, we see a continuous requirement of Light commercial vehicles for various business applications. We will align our product and retail strategy with these changes.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Super Carry is powered by 2-cylinder turbo-charged 793cc diesel engine and an all-new 1196 cc CNG engine variant.</p>
<![CDATA[The company added 50 dealerships in last 6 months, taking the total to 300. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1da41e80-8eb1-4839-8f9d-02b5815aa1e2.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1da41e80-8eb1-4839-8f9d-02b5815aa1e2.jpg&h=485&w=73542973https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-india-opens-300th-cv-showroom-in-less-than-3-years-42973
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-india-opens-300th-cv-showroom-in-less-than-3-years-42973Mon, 13 May 2019 11:04:00Schwing Stetter displays Made-in-India products at Bauma<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/994a593b-4047-4cf4-a25c-fa006d376580.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Schwing Stetter India (SSI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schwing, a $1 billion (Rs 6,956 crore) German Concrete machinery manufacturer and a part of XCMG group, recently participated at Bauma, Germany. At the event, Schwing Stetter India&nbsp;showcased three of its key products, which were indigenised and conceptualised for the Indian market &ndash; Trailer Pump &ndash; SP 1420, SP 1807 and Self Loading Mixer &ndash; SLM 4000.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The company also showcased some of the Schwing Stetter new product development and innovations including a truck mounted concrete pump&nbsp;S36X Direct Drive, S47SXIII, S65SXF, concrete truck-mixer AM10 EDrive and mobile concrete batching plant M3.0.&nbsp;In addition, the 111,000th truck-mixer, AM10 EDrive with a design to match the anniversary was also part of the exhibit.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The German company says Made in India machines are not new to the export market as Schwing Stetter India already has machines sold to East Africa, West Africa, South Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.&nbsp;</p>
<p>At present, Schwing Stetter India is responsible for the whole of the South East Asian territory, 10 countries apart from the SAARC nations and East Africa. Going forward, the Indian subsidiary is expected to handle many more countries in the African continent. It is also associated with some of the prestigious projects in the export market with 3000 plus machines working.</p>
<p>Speaking about the participation at Bauma 2019 at Munich, V G Sakthikumar, managing director, Schwing Stetter India&nbsp;said, &ldquo;Bauma 2019 at Munich was a tremendous success for Schwing Stetter India. The fact that Indian products were displayed for the first time attracted many visitors. Most of them are first time visitors to Bauma who appreciated SSI for its quality product finish and range of equipment.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[Schwing Stetter for the first time displayed Indian products at Bauma.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/994a593b-4047-4cf4-a25c-fa006d376580.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/994a593b-4047-4cf4-a25c-fa006d376580.JPG&h=485&w=73542942https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/schwing-stetter-displays-madeinindia-products-at-bauma-42942
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/schwing-stetter-displays-madeinindia-products-at-bauma-42942Thu, 09 May 2019 12:26:00Ensuring electric commercial vehicles are cost-effective<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/02ae2718-6c1a-4890-801a-2d8e5a6895e1.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Indian commercial vehicle manufacturers are under increasing pressure to switch to electric power in order to reduce the harmful emissions which contribute to poor urban air quality. The authorities are using a &lsquo;carrot and stick&rsquo; approach. The carrot is exemplified by the recent FAME India announcement which will incentivise EV purchases and initiate the setting up of the necessary charging infrastructure. The stick comes in the form of restrictions such as the recent ban in Delhi on diesel engines over 10 years old, by the National Green Tribunal.</strong></p>
<p>The biggest obstacles to sales of commercial electric vehicles (CEVs) are concerns over the high initial cost and subsequent vehicle range limitations.The battery pack remains the dominant cost driver, for example a 207kWh lithium-cobalt oxide battery to provide a 200km+ range for a 13 tonne GVW medium duty truck currently costs approximately $58,000 (Rs 40 lakh) and weighs 1.25 tonnes. By comparison, a typical Indian diesel truck of a similar GVW costs around $29,000 (Rs 20 lakh).</p>
<p>The solution to these concerns is likely to come from a systems approach to the design of future CEVs, in which the electrified powertrain is optimised for cost and range as a complete system, rather than focusing on the individual elements. In addition to this, by matching the powertrain characteristics to the particular requirements of the Indian market, significant cost savings could be possible without compromising the required operating range.</p>
<p>Typical duty cycles for a commercial vehicle in India involve much lower speeds and range than in other markets and, class for class, significantly smaller engines are used, which implies the acceptance of lower outright performance levels. These parameters can be used to good effect in the optimisation process to tailor solutions specifically for local requirements, for example, the rating of the motor and inverter, simplifying the transmission and reducing the battery capacity.</p>
<p>Although initial purchase price remains the key factor for the Indian CV market, the purchase of a commercial vehicle is usually based on the total cost of ownership (TCO). When comparing the TCO of a CEV to a conventional diesel truck or bus, it requires higher initial investment but this is offset by lower running costs. In order to bring the numbers to a point which favours the CEV, the initial cost must be driven down without sacrificing the benefits in operating costs.</p>
<p>Optimisation techniques, processes and tools, such as those developed at Drive System Design, quantify the impact of the various subsystems on overall electric powertrain performance using a systems approach. This provides insight into the interactions between different subsystems within the powertrain, and highlights what design considerations are most influential.In a recent study, DSD simulated over 4000 different powertrain permutations to find the optimal configuration for oneparticular application, a 13-tonne medium duty truck.</p>
<p>Specifications of the powertrain were derived by computing the vehicle resistive power during a range of operational use cases, calculated using models based in MATLAB/Simulink. The vehicle model used road load equations to account for the vehicle inertia, rolling resistance, aerodynamic drag and gradient to calculate the power and torque required at the wheels, verified against measured data.</p>
<p>Based on the vehicle&rsquo;s functionality, hypothetical targetsprovided a basis from which the power and torque required were calculated, for example using top speed targets, minimum gradeability and minimum range required.Actual range was thendetermined by calculating the energy consumption during the drive cycle, in which the vehicle is subjected to a range of accelerations and decelerations, based on the battery capacity and opportunities for energy recuperation through regeneration.</p>
<p>The correct choice of duty cycle and load cases is essential when optimising the cost of the powertrain, if the performance requirements are to be met. In this case, adding the effect of typical gradient changes to the base drive cycle increased the peak power requirement by 15%.</p>
<p>The systems approach can lead to unexpected or counter-intuitive solutions which might otherwise be missed. In this example, changing to a more expensive, more efficient motor permitted a significant reduction in battery pack size while maintaining the desired range. This was because, across the drive cycle, the more efficient motor drew less energy from the battery pack, which could therefore be reduced in capacity. A similar effect is sometimes observed when introducing multi-speed transmissions in order to downsize the motor. In each case, the overall result is a lower cost for the total powertrain and a reduction in weight, which liberates the capacity for additional payload, making the vehicle more profitable.</p>
<p>Apart from identifying optimal solutions that may otherwise not be apparent, the strength of a systems approach is its broad range of potential applications. The process is equally valuable when applied to light, medium or heavy duty vehicles using drive cycles in which urban, rural or highway conditions predominate.</p>
<p>India, as well as other markets around the world, require next-generation electric commercial vehicles. By analysing the duty cycle of a specific market, vehicles can be optimised for that region, significantly reducing cost and accelerating adoption.</p>
<![CDATA[Mike Savage, chief engineer, Drive System Design (DSD) discusses the measures that can be taken to implement the electric powertrains in Indian commercial vehicle segment.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/02ae2718-6c1a-4890-801a-2d8e5a6895e1.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/02ae2718-6c1a-4890-801a-2d8e5a6895e1.jpg&h=485&w=73542929https://www.autocarpro.in/opinion-column/ensuring-electric-commercial-vehicles-are-costeffective-42929
https://www.autocarpro.in/opinion-column/ensuring-electric-commercial-vehicles-are-costeffective-42929Wed, 08 May 2019 14:52:00Tata Motors has a new ace up its sleeve: the Intra<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8ce8e269-8420-43e0-ba84-3d081caef2e2.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors, which pioneered the small commercial vehicle (SCV) in India way back in 2005 with the Ace family, first revealed the new Intra compact truck at Auto Expo 2018. The Ace family of SCVs, which has sold over 2.3 million units till now, has seen competition growing sizeably in the last-mile transportation segment which is why the Intra has been introduced on an all-new platform.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Today, at a media meet in Pune, Tata Motors revealed details of the brand-new product which is designed to carve out new market share for the company in the competitive LCV marketplace and to stave off competition. The rugged new Intra, according to Tata Motors, is a product proposition base on the 4Ps of performance, productivity, pleasure to drive and prosperity.</p>
<p>The Intra is powered by a new-generation DI engine with develops maximum power of 70hp and 140 Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed gearbox with cable shift mechanism and is the first commercial vehicle in India to have a gear shift advisor (GSA). The GSA guides the driver to select the correct gear and accordingly assists to shift up or down so that fuel efficiency, a critical factor for a CV operator, can be optimised. The Intra has a top speed of 80kph.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/IMG_7929.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p>The Intra, which is shod with 14-inch radial tyres, is claimed to have superior load-carrying capability for varied terrains and long tyre life. Tata Motors also says the vehicle has best-in-class gradeability of 45 percent for easily negotiating steep hilly roads and flyovers with ease. Front and rear rigid axle are equipped with leaf springs for enhanced load carrying capability and ease of maintenance (6 in front and 7 at the rear).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/e%20%285%29.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 481px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Ergonomically designed cabin has low NVH levels. Power steering is standard. Intra&#39;s smaller footprint allows&nbsp;easy parking on congested roads and has a low turning radius of 4.75m.</em></p>
<p>The Tata Intra, according to the company, offers a pleasurable driving experience. Right from the modern, expansive and ergonomically designed cabin with low NVH levels, power steering as standard, smaller footprint makes for easy parking on congested roads and a low turning radius of 4.75m, the Intra aims to make commercial vehicle driving a happy experience.</p>
<p>The Intra has a large loading deck (2512mm / 8.2 feet long x 1602mm / 5.3 feet wide) which is designed to enable the operator to transport greater volumes which in turn will translate into more revenue and higher profits. Tata Motors is offering a warranty of 2 years or 72,000km for on the new Intra which, with its rugged and reliable aggregates, which lead to low maintenance costs.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Upping the ante in the small CV segment</span></strong><br>
While the popular Ace family of mini-trucks &ndash; Ace, Ace Zip, Ace Mega and Super Ace &ndash; continues to fare well in the domestic small CV market, Tata Motors is looking to up the ante with the new Intra. Demand for the Ace family continues to grow with the Ace being the most in demand. As per<em> Autocar Professional</em>&#39;s industry statistics, FY2017 sales of the expansive Ace family totaled 113,595 units, growing 34 percent YoY to 152,498 in FY2018 and 25 percent in FY2019 to 190,611 units.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra is proving to be a worth competitor. In fact, M&amp;M with its trio of Bolero, Supro and Jeeto CVs has gone ahead of Tata Motors in FY2019 with sales of 229,352 units, with the Bolero pack accounting for the lion&rsquo;s share &ndash; 176,203 units or 77 percent of M&amp;M&rsquo;s SCV sales.</p>
<p>Does the Intra have what it takes to give Tata Motors a new charge in the SCV market? The company seems to be going all out to target its potential buyers in Tier 1 and 2 towns. In the recent IPL cricket tournament, it had a&nbsp;high-visibility TV advertising campaign that runs after &lsquo;Time Out&rsquo; and goes as &lsquo;Tata Intra&rsquo;s time has come in&rsquo;.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tata Intra will launch on May 22, 2019.</p>
<p>A lot though depends on the Tata Intra&#39;s pricing. The market will know soon. Stay tuned.<br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/FINAL%20TATA%20INTRA%20SPECS.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 515px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors--mahindra-cv-sales-begin-fy2020-in-slow-lane-42888"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors, Mahindra CV sales begin FY2020 in slow lane</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors-maintains-cv-leadership-amidst-intense-competition-42705"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors maintains CV leadership amidst intense competition</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-grabs-10-market-share-in-india%E2%80%99s-minitruck-market-42687"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Maruti Super Carry grabs 10% market share in India&rsquo;s mini-truck market</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[In a bid to carve new market share in the small CV segment and also stave off growing competition, Tata Motors readies new last-mile assault weapon. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8ce8e269-8420-43e0-ba84-3d081caef2e2.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8ce8e269-8420-43e0-ba84-3d081caef2e2.jpg&h=485&w=73542921https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-has-a-new-ace-up-its-sleeve-the-intra-42921
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-has-a-new-ace-up-its-sleeve-the-intra-42921Tue, 07 May 2019 16:04:00Truck makers urge introduction of high-capacity vehicles to slash CO2 emissions in EU<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2554f359-dc74-4350-a1ac-91aea97bec92.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>As part of wider efforts to reduce CO2 emissions from road transport, the European Automobile Manufacturers&rsquo; Association (ACEA) is calling for a policy framework that supports an EU-wide high-capacity transport system. This should allow for high-capacity vehicles &ndash; specifically designed to carry twice as much freight as standard trucks &ndash; to travel on dedicated parts of the EU road network. ACEA made this call to policy makers at an event in Brussels today.</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20high-capacity_vehicles_CO2.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 404px;" title=""></strong></p>
<p>Experience shows that high-capacity vehicles are more efficient and productive than regular heavy-goods vehicles, as they can consolidate freight from smaller trucks, consuming less fuel and producing less emissions. This makes them more environmentally-friendly than standard vehicle combinations. Indeed, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acea.be/publications/article/paper-high-capacity-transport" target="_blank">new ACEA paper</a>, three high-capacity vehicles can replace six regular trucks, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 27%.</p>
<p>The EU&rsquo;s first-ever CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles were recently fixed for the years 2025 and 2030. &ldquo;Truck manufacturers are committed to doing their part to bring down emissions,&rdquo; explained ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert. &ldquo;However, these efficiency standards for new vehicles will not be enough to bring down total CO2 emissions from road transport.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Demand for freight transport is expected to grow substantially over the next decades. High-capacity vehicles provide a cost-effective means of coping with this growing demand while keeping carbon emissions in check &ndash; without having to modify or extend Europe&rsquo;s existing road infrastructure.</p>
<p>Jonnaert said, &ldquo;In order to allow the benefits of high-capacity vehicles to be felt right across the entire EU, we urge policy makers to enable the introduction of a high-capacity transport system across borders.&rdquo; ACEA also calls for harmonised requirements for such vehicles.</p>
<p>High-capacity vehicles in the form of European Modular System (EMS) combinations are already allowed in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, most German federal states, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In these countries CO2 reductions have been confirmed in practice. Earlier concerns with respect to a possible modal shift from rail to road, wear and tear of roads and bridges, and safety have also shown to be unjustified.</p>
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<![CDATA[New ACEA study says three high-capacity vehicles can replace six regular trucks, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 27 percent.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2554f359-dc74-4350-a1ac-91aea97bec92.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2554f359-dc74-4350-a1ac-91aea97bec92.jpg&h=485&w=73542919https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/truck-makers-urge-introduction-of-highcapacity-vehicles-to-slash-co2-emissions-in-eu-42919
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/truck-makers-urge-introduction-of-highcapacity-vehicles-to-slash-co2-emissions-in-eu-42919Tue, 07 May 2019 13:04:00Mahindra looking to set up second plant in Michigan<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9171d695-fd99-4bee-af9c-7c2962822441.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>A little over two-and-a-half years after the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced that Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA), Mahindra &amp; Mahindra&#39;s subsidiary in the US, had been selected to deliver NGDV (Next Generation Delivery Vehicle) prototype vehicles for testing, it is learnt that MANA, which has a manufacturing plant at Auburn Hills, Michigan is looking to set up a second plant in Michigan.</strong></p>
<p>As per an <a href="https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/mahindra-eyes-2nd-michigan-plant-part-bid-postal-contract"><em>Automotive News</em></a> report, MANA is eyeing three possible sites &ndash; in Detroit, Oakland County and Genesee County &ndash; to build a brand-new assembly facility, that it if it bags the $6 billion (Rs 37,902 crore) supply order for NGDVs from USPS. This was stated by Rick Haas, president and CEO, MANA, at a meeting at the Troy Chamber of Commerce on May 1.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/NAM%20-%20Rick-Haas-Headshot.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 451px; height: 486px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Rick Haas,&nbsp;president and CEO, Mahindra Automotive North America.</em></p>
<p>Haas said that the&nbsp;USPS contract for NGDVs could indicate the direction the company takes in the future. As is known, <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mahindra-roxor-revealed-28348"><span style="color:#FF0000;">in March 2018, MANA commenced assembly operations of the Mahindra Roxor off-roader at its new plant in Auburn Hills</span></a><span style="color:#FF0000;">.</span></p>
<p>Haas was reported to have said, "If we get a piece of that or all of that contract, that opens a bunch of doors, shuts a few other ones. If we don&#39;t get it, it shuts some doors, opens some other ones. So we&#39;re going to evaluate it all."</p>
<p>Mahindra is among the six vehicle OEMs chosen by the USPS to produce prototypes for testing and evaluation. The winner of the contract,&nbsp;&nbsp; which includes supplies of parts for a a 20-year period, to build 180,000 NGDVs&nbsp;over a six-year period, will be decided between June and September. They will replace the ageing Grumman Long Life Vehicle light transport truck, which was designed as a mail truck with its highlights being easy serviceability, smooth handling in confined areas and economical operation.</p>
<p>Mahindra&#39;s engineering and design proposal for the NGDV was led by its&nbsp;Southeast Michigan-based Mahindra North American Technical Center (MNATC).&nbsp; Headquartered in&nbsp;Troy, Michigan, MNATC has leveraged the significant pool of automotive engineering talent that thrives in the&nbsp;Detroit&nbsp;area to create innovative vehicle designs for the U.S. market. MNATC&#39;s team submitted a proposal to the USPS emphasising safety, ergonomics and fuel economy all within a ground-up approach to vehicle integration.</p>
<p>MNATC was also instrumental in developing the Mahindra Marazzo MPV launched in the Indian market.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Six products under development at MNATC</span></strong><br>
Addressing business executives and industry professionals at the Troy Chamber of Commerce, Haas is reported to have said that Mahindra is currently developing six different products at MNATC. These, he said, could be produced along with the manufacture of the NGDV for the US Postal Service at the second plant.</p>
<p>"The question is which ones do you start to push," Haas said. "It&#39;s going to depend on what happens over the summer," the <em>Automotive News </em>reported.</p>
<p>Without specifying which of the three sites MANA favours for its second manufacturing plant, Haas did say that they are all brownfield locations that call for redevelopment and that economic development representatives from North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona and Wisconsin are keen on having MANA set up a facility in their states.</p>
<p>Rick Haas has been instrumental in driving a Make in America programme. In November 2018, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) named Haas to the NAM Board of Directors. In a release, NAM said, "As an NAM board member, Haas will work to advance a manufacturing policy agenda that promotes growth and prosperity for all Americans."</p>
<p>The NAM is the largest industrial trade association in the United States and the nation&rsquo;s leading advocate for manufacturing. The NAM&rsquo;s 14,000 members include some of the world&rsquo;s most iconic brands, and more than 90 percent of its members are small and medium-sized businesses.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/0_578_872_0_70_http___cdni_autocarindia_com_ExtraImages_20181130125930_Mahindra-Roxor-blue.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 487px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Roxor production underway at 30 a day</span></strong><br>
Meanwhile, MANA&#39;s plant in Auburn Hills is rolling out over 30 Roxors each day. There are plans to begin assembly of a Roxor with an automatic transmission very soon. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The Roxor is based on the&nbsp;Thar,&nbsp;but is sold in the US as an off-road-only vehicle. It is powered by a&nbsp;64hp, 2.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that powers all four wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. The SUV&nbsp;stirred up some controversy when it was launched last year as FCA sued Mahindra over the styling. In November 2018, the US Trade Commission cleared the&nbsp;path for Mahindra Roxor sales in America.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Source: <a href="https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/mahindra-eyes-2nd-michigan-plant-part-bid-postal-contract">The Automotive News</a><br>
Rik Haas image: NAM</em></p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mahindra-debuts-at-detroit-auto-show-with-marazzo-and-roxor-41840"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra debuts at Detroit Auto Show with Marazzo and Roxor</span></a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[M&M's US subsidiary explores setting up a second plant in Michigan if it bags the $ 6 billion (Rs 37,902 crore) contract to produce and supply Next Generation Delivery Vehicles to the United States Postal Service.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9171d695-fd99-4bee-af9c-7c2962822441.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9171d695-fd99-4bee-af9c-7c2962822441.jpg&h=485&w=73542895https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mahindra-looking-to-set-up-second-plant-in-michigan-42895
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mahindra-looking-to-set-up-second-plant-in-michigan-42895Sat, 04 May 2019 08:31:00Tata Motors, Mahindra CV sales begin FY2020 in slow lane<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2970b978-10b6-4925-91ce-5604de958680.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>After selling a million units for the first time ever in a single year in FY2019, commercial vehicle (CV) sales have turned uncertain in the first month of FY2020.&nbsp;Market leader Tata Motors and challenger brand Mahindra Truck &amp; Buses&rsquo; sales in April 2019 saw de-growth while those of Ashok Leyland and VE Commercial Vehicles remained in positive territory.</strong></p>
<p>While FY2020 is expected to end on a good note mainly due to aggressive pre-buying ahead of BS VI emission norms kicking in from April 2020, the fact of the matter is that the road to end-FY2020 is going to be rough. While there is no clarity as to when pre-buying will start, OEMs are preparing to cater to that additional demand by getting their assembly lines ready for BS VI-compliant products at least a quarter before April 2020.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Another sales speedbreaker has been the increase in axle load norms in July 2018 which increased overall cargo capacities across M&amp;HCVs and saw fleet owners reduce their number of purchases.</p>
<p>Tata Motors says, &ldquo;M&amp;HCV cargo trucks continue to witness sluggish sales with the implementation of revised axle-load norms. The slowing economy along with purchase deferrals during the election season has contributed to subdued demand for M&amp;HCV cargo trucks.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">How the OEMs fared in April</span></strong><br>
Market leader <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Tata Motors</span></strong>&rsquo; overall sales in the domestic market fell by by 18 percent to 29,883 units in April 2019 (April 2018: 36,276). The key M&amp;HCV truck segment dropped by a massive 33 percent to 9,403 units (April 2018:14,028). It seems the fast-growing tipper segment is coming under pressure; Tata Motors sold 3,438 units for a marginal 1 percent growth.</p>
<p>The company&rsquo;s ILCV sales were up 10 percent at 3,546 units, led by the e-commerce sector and discretionary consumption. Sale of cargo SCVs and pickups dropped by 4 percent to 13,996 units and likewise, the commercial passenger carrier (bus) segment saw sales of 2,983 units (-33%), being impacted by the slowdown in the procurement of buses by STUs and the permits for private hiring. Nonetheless, school bus demand remains strong with volumes likely to pick up in the next couple of months as school re-open after the summer break. Tata Motors is gearing up to roll out its buses that meet the new AIS 153 regulations.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Ashok Leyland </span></strong>is the only major CV maker to register double-digit growth in the month with total sale of 13,141 units (April 2018: 11,951).&nbsp;Its M&amp;HCV numbers rose 8 percent to 8,918 units, while LCVs, backed by the popular Dost trucks, maintained double-digit growth of 10 percent growth with4,223 units sold (April 2018: 3,697).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></strong>&rsquo;s CV sales declined across all segments with overall numbers down by 9 percent to 17,321 units (April 2018: 18,963). M&amp;HCV sales fell sharply by 48 percent to 474 units. Its sales in the below-3.5T GVW segment, &nbsp;where the company&rsquo;s popular Bolero pickups have recorded highest sales in FY2019, was down 7 percent YoY to 16,284 units (April 2018: 17,495), while those in the above-3.5T GVW segment were flat at 563 units.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>&rsquo; sales grew by 8 percent in April 2019 at 3,663 units (April 2018: 3,390 units).</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s early days yet in the CV sector in FY2020. Once the general elections are over later this month, the onset of an above-average monsoon and continued spending on construction and infrastructure activity is likely to act as a catalyst to truck and bus sales. In comparison, demand for heavy trucks may continue to be sluggish but some models like ILCVs, tippers and buses could see some traction in the near-term.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/CV.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 287px;" title=""></p>
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<![CDATA[Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra’s sales skid in April 2019 while Ashok Leyland and VECV remain positive.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2970b978-10b6-4925-91ce-5604de958680.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2970b978-10b6-4925-91ce-5604de958680.jpg&h=485&w=73542888https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors--mahindra-cv-sales-begin-fy2020-in-slow-lane-42888
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors--mahindra-cv-sales-begin-fy2020-in-slow-lane-42888Thu, 02 May 2019 18:10:00Daimler Trucks opens BharatBenz service facility in Bhutan<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9b84c509-e154-4a9a-b577-a605e6add9a8.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler Trucks&rsquo; Regional Center Southern Asia in association with Ugen Auto today inaugurated a new 3S state-of-the-art dealership in&nbsp;Phuentsholing,&nbsp;which will cater to Daimler&rsquo;s commercial vehicle brands of BharatBenz trucks and Fuso buses. This also marks the official market launch for Fuso&rsquo;s light duty Rosa buses in Bhutan.&nbsp;This second facility is owned and operated by Ugen Auto and reflects the strong growth trajectory of Daimler&rsquo;s commercial vehicle brands in Bhutan.</strong></p>
<p>Speaking at the event, Amit Bisht, Head of Daimler Commercial Vehicles - Regional Center Southern Asia said,&nbsp;&ldquo;We are happy to strengthen our relationship with Ugen Auto. Within a short span of two years, we are already expanding our network for BharatBenz trucks and introducing Rosa buses that will cater to the tourist and inter-city segment in the region. Phuentsholing is a commercial hub and our network here by Ugen Auto plays an important role for trade between Bhutan and India.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Ugen Norbu Jamyang, CEO of Ugen Auto, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;We are delighted to be on this growth journey with Daimler&rsquo;s commercial vehicle brands. We have been able to give Bhutanese customers a superior sales and aftersales experience. Ugen Auto completely focuses on the customers and their business needs. Customers can be assured of the best of sales advisory and state-of-the-art aftersales service and spares support for BharatBenz trucks and Rosa Buses.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">BharatBenz Phuentsholing touchpoint</span></strong><br />
The avant-garde 3S facility (sales, service, spares) has four mechanical bays. The dealership will have trained manpower who understand the diverse needs of the customers and will provide onsite services. It comes equipped with high productivity tools, advanced guided diagnostics and mobile service vans that can reach customers in Bhutan within 6 hours. The dealership will provide a host of value-added services such as 24x7 roadside assistance, vehicle tracking systems, and driver training.</p>
<p>The&nbsp;<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">BharatBenz Phuentsholing touchpoint&nbsp;</span></strong>has four mechanical bays, trained manpower,&nbsp;high productivity tools, advanced guided diagnostics and mobile service vans that can reach customers in Bhutan within 6 hours.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[State-of-the art 3S facility opened in Phuentsholing, Bhutan to cater to BharatBenz range of trucks and Fuso buses.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9b84c509-e154-4a9a-b577-a605e6add9a8.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9b84c509-e154-4a9a-b577-a605e6add9a8.jpg&h=485&w=73542885https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-opens-bharatbenz-service-facility-in-bhutan-42885
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-opens-bharatbenz-service-facility-in-bhutan-42885Thu, 02 May 2019 16:43:00Citroen Relay Electric makes global debut at Birmingham CV Show<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dfd4cb76-eccb-46ab-ade5-8ec159b2ce3d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The new Citroen Relay Electric is making its international debut at the CV Show in Birmingham, adding a zero-emission model to the Relay range. </strong></p>
<p>The PSA Group has committed itself to introduce plug-in hybrid or electric versions of all new models starting in 2019, with electrified variants of each model available by 2025. The launch of New Relay Electric at the CV Show 2019 is in line with that goal, with the electrification of the largest vehicle in the range.</p>
<p>The Citroen Relay Electric on display at the CV Show (Birmingham NEC, 30 April to 2 May), is an L1 H1 panel van. New Citroen Relay Electric models will be produced at the Sevel factory in Val di Sangro, Italy and converted by partner BD Auto.</p>
<![CDATA[New Citroen Relay Electric models will be produced at the Sevel factory in Val di Sangro, Italy and converted by partner BD Auto.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dfd4cb76-eccb-46ab-ade5-8ec159b2ce3d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dfd4cb76-eccb-46ab-ade5-8ec159b2ce3d.jpg&h=485&w=73542864https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/citroen-relay-electric-makes-global-debut-at-birmingham-cv-show-42864
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/citroen-relay-electric-makes-global-debut-at-birmingham-cv-show-42864Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:00:00Geely launches world’s first methanol-powered heavy truck<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c534f14a-939d-4249-ab47-ce063a447eb5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/sitesearch/search/geely?search=geely"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Geely</span></a> New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group&rsquo;s (GCV) subsidiary brand Yuan Cheng Auto announced the launch and sale of the world&rsquo;s first M100 methanol fuel heavy truck produced at GCV&rsquo;s Nanchong Plant. The new commercial vehicle is offered in three variants:&nbsp;standard, mountain, and regional logistics version.</strong></p>
<p>The development of methanol vehicles is an important measure in energy diversification and more efficiently utilise natural resources. Yuan Cheng methanol heavy trucks are equipped with M100 methanol engines which are said to be more environment friendly than diesel whilst the sources of methanol are more diverse with it being derived cleanly from coal, natural gas, or even by recycling carbon dioxide. Yuan Cheng&rsquo;s first methanol heavy truck is backed by Geely Holding Group&rsquo;s global R&amp;D network.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Economical and eco-friendly</span></strong><br />
Geely claims to have been developing methanol fuel powertrains for 15 years and has full intellectual property rights on M100 methanol fuel power technologies. The Yuan Cheng methanol heavy truck&nbsp;is powered by a Weichai-based heavy duty engine with Geely methanol power technologies. The engine is said to have a B10 lifetime rating of over 1 million kilometres and uses the same components as those from the mainstream heavy truck manufacturers.</p>
<p>In terms of power performance, the Yuan Cheng methanol heavy truck&nbsp;uses a 12.54-litre&nbsp;large-displacement engine with maximum power of 460ps and can climb a maximum incline of 30 degrees, comparable to current diesel models. In addition, it utilises advanced technologies such as turbocharged intercoolers, closed-loop air-fuel ratio control, EGR cooling system, three-way catalytic converters, and more, resulting in high performance, low fuel consumption, high reliability and low emissions.</p>
<p>According to the company, with standard operation, users of Yuan Cheng methanol heavy trucks will see significant savings of roughly 18 percent compared to diesel, according to the company. Based on an annual operating distance of 150,000km and the price of methanol at 2,500 RMB per ton (Rs 26,000), each year users will save more than 45,000 RMB (Rs 466,740). Geely also claims that Yuan Cheng methanol heavy trucks meet and exceed China&rsquo;s national VI emission standards.</p>
<p>Designed in Geely global design network, the Yuan Cheng methanol heavy truck highlights the truck&rsquo;s clean energy and utilitarian features such as a badge that lights up at night, increasing visibility and non-stick material applied around the windshield, door handles, and side-view mirrors preventing mud from sticking to these commonly used points and improving safety in rain and snow.</p>
<p>Geely claims that the Yuan Cheng methanol heavy truck structural frame meets European crash regulation ECE R29-03. In addition, cameras under the left and right side-view mirrors solve the problem of the huge blind spot resulting in the vehicle&rsquo;s large body and length, adding an extra layer of safety for the driver and pedestrians.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Leader in new energy commercial vehicles</span></strong><br />
Over 75 percent of road transport in China are done by diesel commercial vehicles, making them the main source of vehicle emissions. The launch and sale of methanol heavy trucks aims to reduce emissions at the source of the problem.</p>
<p>In the future, Geely plans to further expand its presence in the commercial vehicle market with a full product line of methanol powered tractors, dump trucks, and flatbed trucks along with developing methanol hybrid and methanol hydrogen fuel technologies.</p>
<p>Zhou Jianqun, president of Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group said, &ldquo;The launch of the world&rsquo;s first M100 methanol heavy truck marks Geely&rsquo;s entry into commercial vehicles and officially opens the door to methanol-powered commercial vehicles. Geely commercial vehicles will be the safest, most environment friendly, and energy efficient vehicles in the market.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/geely-becomes-official-partner-to-2022-hangzhou-asian-games-42702"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Geely becomes official partner to 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games​</span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/the-week-in-reverse-geely-ev-brand-geometry--lumaxjopp-jv--citroen-c5-aircross-4star-euro-ncap-rating--hyundai-venue-teaser--toyota-turns-20-in-india--carlos-tavares-open-to-acquiring-jlr-42697"><span style="color:#FF0000;">The Week In Reverse: Geely&#39;s EV brand Geometry, Lumax-JOPP JV, Citroen C5 Aircross&#39; 4-star Euro NCAP rating, Hyundai Venue teaser, Toyota turns 20 in India, Carlos Tavares &#39;open&#39; to acquiring JLR</span></a></p>
<![CDATA[Launched through Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group’s subsidiary brand Yuan Cheng Auto, the world’s first M100 methanol fuel heavy trucks are offered in three variants, standard, mountain, and regional logistics version.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c534f14a-939d-4249-ab47-ce063a447eb5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c534f14a-939d-4249-ab47-ce063a447eb5.jpg&h=485&w=73542849https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/geely-launches-world’s-first-methanolpowered-heavy-truck-42849
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/geely-launches-world’s-first-methanolpowered-heavy-truck-42849Mon, 29 Apr 2019 16:22:00Dana and Motiv tie up for e-axles on Ford F-550<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6b9a5260-b5ff-4ec4-a650-f7df0391417e.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Dana Incorporated and Motiv Power Systems today announced a collaboration to integrate&nbsp;Dana&#39;s&nbsp;Spicer&nbsp;Electrified eS9000r e-Axle on the Ford F-550 chassis for use in commercial fleet applications. &nbsp;By replacing the traditional mechanical driveline with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle&#39;s differential housing, the e-axle provides greater design flexibility for battery placement and truck body attachment. &nbsp;In addition to&nbsp;Dana&#39;s&nbsp;e-Axle technology, the chassis features Motiv&#39;s proprietary electric powertrain controls.</strong></p>
<p>"Dana&nbsp;sees tremendous demand in the commercial vehicle space for full electrification, and the Ford F-550 chassis represents an ideal application for integrating our innovative e-Axle technology," said&nbsp;Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies.&nbsp; "Collaborating with pioneers like Motiv to offer integrated e-solutions enables commercial fleet owners to capitalize on the benefits of electrified vehicles."</p>
<p>The Spicer Electrified eS9000r consists of an integrated motor, transmission, and axle system, and is designed as a &lsquo;drop-in&rsquo; replacement for existing axles used in medium-duty truck and bus applications.&nbsp; The vehicle is designed with a range of up to 90 miles and peak power of 226 kW for grade startability of 20 percent.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dana&#39;s innovative e-Axle includes a patent-pending integrated parking mechanism (park pawl) that eliminates the need for an external solution.</p>
<p>"We&#39;re proud of our role in this initial Ford F-550 application. &nbsp;It represents a combination of two complementary technologies in bringing electrification to commercial fleets," said&nbsp;Matt O&#39;Leary, CEO of Motiv. &nbsp;"We share a common vision with&nbsp;Dana&nbsp;of expanding the market profile of battery electric vehicles in commercial transportation and welcome the opportunity to collaborate with them to advance this goal."</p>
<p>Dana&nbsp;and Motiv are collaborating to customise a Ford F-550 Chassis with an all-electric e-Axle. The vehicle can be used for box trucks, maintenance trucks, shuttle buses, and more. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-expands-in-china--looks-to-accelerate-growth-in-apac-42747"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Dana expands in China, looks to accelerate growth in APAC</span></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-fuel-cell-tech-to-be-used-in-public-transportation-vehicles-42563"><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Dana&#39;s fuel cell tech to be used in public transportation vehicles</span></strong></a></p>
<![CDATA[​Dana and Motiv Power Systems Collaborate on Integration of All-Electric Spicer Electrified e-Axle on Ford Super Duty F-550 Chassis.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6b9a5260-b5ff-4ec4-a650-f7df0391417e.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6b9a5260-b5ff-4ec4-a650-f7df0391417e.jpg&h=485&w=73542827https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-and-motiv-tie-up-for-eaxles-on-ford-f550-42827
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-and-motiv-tie-up-for-eaxles-on-ford-f550-42827Thu, 25 Apr 2019 17:25:00Penske opens EV charging stations for electric trucks in the US<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/40662755-1179-461d-9679-46a61ac2573b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Penske Truck Leasing Co., a US-based vehicle leasing company, has opened commercial heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations with 14 high-speed chargers at four of its existing facilities in&nbsp;Southern California. The company&#39;s near term plan includes adding at least six more chargers, bringing the total number to 20. Penske believes these are the first DC fast charging stations in the U.S. designed specifically for heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles.</strong></p>
<p>Located throughout&nbsp;Southern California&nbsp;at Penske Truck Leasing&#39;s facilities in&nbsp;San Diego, Chino, Anaheim and&nbsp;La Mirada, these 14 chargers connect directly to a commercial truck&#39;s battery charging system, providing a DC fast charging option for commercial electric fleets. Utilizing 50 kW to 150 kW chargers, this charging infrastructure allows Penske to power an all-electric class 8 tractor from zero to 100% charge in less than half a shift.</p>
<p>Brian Hard, President and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing said, &ldquo;We are investing to ensure our customers have access to the right vehicles, technology, charging infrastructure and information to help shape the future of mobility in our industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Commitment to be at the forefront</span></strong><br />
Penske celebrated the announcement of its new electric vehicle commercial charging capabilities at its&nbsp;La Miradafacility during a livestream ribbon-cutting event with the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in&nbsp;Long Beach, California. Daimler Trucks North America&#39;s electric class 8 Freightliner eCascadia semi-truck was on-hand as part of the charging demonstration.</p>
<p>Andrew Cullen, senior vice president of fuels and facilities at Penske Truck Leasing said, &ldquo;We are proud to provide our customers with the ability to quickly and conveniently charge their electric truck fleets at these locations. We&#39;ll continue to add new locations and charging infrastructure to support our customers as our electric fleet continues to grow and the demand for commercial electric vehicles gains momentum.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Penske Truck Leasing has previously announced the addition of light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial electric trucks to its fleets.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong> <strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-hands-over-first-full-electric-freightliner-to-penske-truck-leasing-41682"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler hands over first full electric Freightliner to Penske Truck Leasing</span></a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Penske believes that the recently opened 14 high speed chargers are the first in the US that are designed for heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/40662755-1179-461d-9679-46a61ac2573b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/40662755-1179-461d-9679-46a61ac2573b.jpg&h=485&w=73542824https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/penske-opens-ev-charging-stations-for-electric-trucks-in-the-us-42824
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/penske-opens-ev-charging-stations-for-electric-trucks-in-the-us-42824Thu, 25 Apr 2019 16:05:00Suzuki launches new 2019 Carry small CV in Indonesia <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c28a611a-f38d-40bb-9788-50eebe2eb3ae.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Suzuki Motor Corporation&rsquo;s Indonesian subsidiary, PT Suzuki Indomobil Motor, has officially launched the 2019 New Suzuki Carry. The highlights of the latest Suzuki Carry small commercial vehicle are more cargo capacity, increased comfort and improved performance. </strong></p>
<p>The new Suzuki Carry comes in three colours &ndash; Superior White, Silky Silver and Real Black and is priced at Rp. 135.6 Million (Rs 669,898) for FD type, Rp. 144.1 million (Rs 711,270) for FD AC / PS type, Rp. 136.6 million (Rs 674,250) for the WD type, and Rp. 145.1 million (Rs 716,206) for the WD AC / PS type.</p>
<p>&nbsp;The new Suzuki Carry is 4195mm long, 1675mm wide (wide deck: 1765mm), and 1,870mm tall (wide deck: 1910mm). The new SCV&rsquo;s K15B-C petrol, four-cylinder, 1462cc engine, mated to a five-speed transmission, develops 97ps of maximum power at 5600rpm and 135Nm torque at 4400rpm. Suspension duties are handled by a MacPherson strut in front and a leaf rigid axle at the rear. The vehicle, which is shod with 165/80R13 tyres, has a 43-litre fuel tank.</p>
<p>According to PT Suzuki Indomobil Motor, the new Suzuki Carry can transport more cargo with a maximum capacity of 1 tonne, the wider &lsquo;tub&rsquo; can accommodate more items and can be opened from three sides. The driver cabin too is wider and can accommodate up to three people.</p>
<p>PT Suzuki Indomobil Motor is targeting sales of 70,000 units in the first year of sales. In Fy2018, the small truck segment had&nbsp;an approximately 10% share in the Indonesian automobile market, and for Suzuki in Indonesia, small trucks account&nbsp;for nearly half of its sales. Suzuki says it will&nbsp;export the new Carry to nearly 100 countries and regions from Indonesia.</p>
<p>In India, the <a href="https://bit.ly/2DaFwiG"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Maruti Super Carry small CV is seeing growing demand</span></a>. In FY2019, it help Maruti Suzuki India grow its CV market share by 4 percentage points to 10 percent, with sales of 23,874 units, up 137 percent year on year, albeit on a low year-ago base. The company also exported 2,251 units of the Super Carry to some African countries. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/2DaFwiG"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Maruti Super Carry grabs 10% market share in India&rsquo;s mini-truck market</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[. The highlights of the latest Suzuki Carry small commercial vehicle are more cargo capacity, increased comfort and improved performance. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c28a611a-f38d-40bb-9788-50eebe2eb3ae.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c28a611a-f38d-40bb-9788-50eebe2eb3ae.jpg&h=485&w=73542822https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/suzuki-launches-new-2019-carry-small-cv-in-indonesia-42822
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/suzuki-launches-new-2019-carry-small-cv-in-indonesia-42822Thu, 25 Apr 2019 15:50:00Zoomcar records 3,200 bookings in March 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7a29a842-0059-4c38-b0d9-3c9e79eabef8.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Zoomcar has announced that its subscription-based ownership programme, ZAP Subscribe, has recorded 3,200 subscriptions in the month of March 2019 alone. The company that offers self-drive services also said that the service had recorded over 7,000 subscriptions in its first year of operation, which had begun in April 2018.</strong></p>
<p>The company said that 80 percent of the over 7,000 subscribers were first-time buyers who were not looking to buy new cars owing to high down payments, EMIs, maintenance costs and other such factors.</p>
<p>"We strongly believe that through ZAP Subscribe we can grab 15 percent to 20&nbsp;percent&nbsp;of India&rsquo;s personal car purchase market over next 2-3 years. We&rsquo;re strongly committed to the Indian market when it comes to mobility solutions and will continue to provide the ultimate in convenience, flexibility, and affordability to the consumer," said Zoomcar founder and CEO, Greg Moran, in a statement.</p>
<p>The company has said that it aims to bring in 5 lakh ZAP cars to its subscription platform over the next two years and achieve a 20 million bookings milestone during the same period.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/zoomcar-records-3200-bookings-in-march-2019-412444"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Source</span></a></em></p>
<p><strong>Also read:<span style="color:#ff0000">&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/zoomcar-eyes-foreign-markets--targets-100-000-vehicles-in-india-42068"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Zoomcar eyes foreign markets, targets 100,000 vehicles in India</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-and-zoomcar-to-deploy-500-etigor-across-20-cities-in-india-41645"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors and Zoomcar to deploy 500 e-Tigor across 20 cities in India</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The company also said that total subscriptions have crossed the 7,000-mark in its first year.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7a29a842-0059-4c38-b0d9-3c9e79eabef8.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7a29a842-0059-4c38-b0d9-3c9e79eabef8.jpg&h=485&w=73542813https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/zoomcar-records-3-200-bookings-in-march-2019-42813
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/zoomcar-records-3-200-bookings-in-march-2019-42813Wed, 24 Apr 2019 16:41:00Allison Transmission acquires Vantage Power and AxleTech to boost EV tech<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4c9e6f81-17ab-447a-8433-3cf46431d77f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Allison Transmission Holdings, the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions purchased Vantage Power, a UK-based&nbsp;technology company specialising in developing electrified and connected technologies for heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers and US-based AxleTech&rsquo;s electric vehicle (EV) systems division.</strong></p>
<p>Allison is looking at advancements with an electrification strategy that leverages and extends current electric hybrid technologies, develops new electrified propulsion solutions and expands system and integration level capabilities in alternative propulsion. Both of these acquisitions align with Allison&rsquo;s leading innovator position in propulsion technology and will complement its existing capabilities to advance electrification adoption in commercial vehicles.</p>
<p>Vantage Power is an award-winning London-based technology company specialising in developing electrified propulsion and connected vehicle technologies for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers. With particular focus on battery technology development, vehicle integration and control systems, as well as vehicle connectivity and telemetry, Vantage Power technologies have been deployed in a wide range of applications including complete electric hybrid repower systems for buses to grid energy storage.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Vantage Power&rsquo;s entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancements complement our strategic priorities to meet and exceed our customers&rsquo; demands,&rdquo; said David S. Graziosi, president and CEO of Allison Transmission. &ldquo;Through this and other growth initiatives, we will continue to build upon our conventional and electric hybrid products today while differentiating ourselves in the electrification and fuel cell markets.&rdquo;</p>
<p>AxleTech is a leading technology company that designs, engineers, manufactures, sells and services axles and integrated electrified axle solutions for on- and off-highway heavy-duty commercial vehicles. With industrial roots established in 1919, the company develops advanced powertrain systems, axles, components and aftermarket parts for global customers. The EV systems division is located at AxleTech&rsquo;s headquarters in Troy, Michigan.</p>
<p>&ldquo;AxleTech&rsquo;s highly integrated solutions in the EV space and their presence in Allison&rsquo;s end markets complement our position as a leading propulsion solutions provider,&rdquo; said Graziosi. &ldquo;The talented individuals and products within AxleTech&rsquo;s EV systems division and their capabilities will combine well with our current product&nbsp;expertise to create and provide unmatched propulsion solutions.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[Allison is looking at advancements with an electrification strategy that leverages and extends current electric hybrid technologies, develops new electrified propulsion solutions and expands system and integration level capabilities in alternative propulsion.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4c9e6f81-17ab-447a-8433-3cf46431d77f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4c9e6f81-17ab-447a-8433-3cf46431d77f.jpg&h=485&w=73542804https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/allison-transmission-acquires-vantage-power-and-axletech-to-boost-ev-tech-42804
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/allison-transmission-acquires-vantage-power-and-axletech-to-boost-ev-tech-42804Tue, 23 Apr 2019 17:52:00Toyota and Kenworth unveil fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/72a274bf-8399-498c-8aec-e3fd38320983.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Toyota, Kenworth, the Port of&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) took a new step towards the future of zero-emission trucking yesterday&nbsp;by unveiling the first of Toyota and Kenworth&#39;s jointly developed fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks (FCET). The unveiling was before a crowd of media, government officials and industry and community leaders during a special event held at the Port of&nbsp;Los Angeles.</strong></p>
<p>The new generation zero-emission truck expands on the capabilities of Toyota&#39;s first two &lsquo;Project Portal Proof of Concept&rsquo; trucks through enhanced capability, packaging, and performance; offering an estimated range of more than 300 miles (480km) per fill, twice that of a typical drayage truck&#39;s average daily duty cycle. Toyota and Kenworth will deploy a total of 10 trucks as part of the Zero-and-Near-Zero-Emission Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF), hauling cargo received at the Ports of&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;and&nbsp;Long Beach, throughout the LA Basin.</p>
<p>"Toyota is committed to fuel cell electric technology as a powertrain for the future because it&#39;s a clean, scalable platform that can meet a broad range of mobility needs with zero emissions," said&nbsp;Bob Carter, executive vice president for Automotive Operations Toyota. "The ZANZEFF collaboration and the innovative &#39;Shore-to-Store&#39; project allow us to move Heavy-Duty Truck Fuel Cell Electric technology towards commercialisation."</p>
<p>CARB has awarded&nbsp;$41 million (Rs 285 crore) dollars&nbsp;to the Port of&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;for the ZANZEFF project as&nbsp;part of&nbsp;California Climate Investments, a&nbsp;California&nbsp;initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="409" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4hLw38rYsZY" width="727"></iframe></p>
<p>"This substantial climate investment by the state, matched by the project partners, will help speed up the number of zero-emission trucks in the&nbsp;California&nbsp;communities and neighborhoods where they are needed the most," said CARB Chair,&nbsp;Mary D. Nichols. "It will provide a real world at-work demonstration of innovative heavy-duty fuel cell electric technologies. The project offers a commercial solution to move cargo and freight around the state using zero-emission trucks and equipment that protect air quality and cut climate-changing emissions."</p>
<p>Since operations began in&nbsp;April 2017, the Project Portal &lsquo;Alpha&rsquo; and &lsquo;Beta&rsquo; Proof of Concept Class 8 trucks have logged more than 14,000 miles of testing and real-world drayage operations in and around the ports of&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;and&nbsp;Long Beach&nbsp;while emitting nothing but water vapor. The first Kenworth/Toyota FCET under the ZANZEFF project will begin drayage operations in the fourth quarter, increasing the ports&#39; zero-emission trucking capacity and further reducing the environmental impact of drayage operations.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Expanding operations</span></strong><br />
The latest FCET utilises the Kenworth T680 Class 8 model combined with Toyota&#39;s fuel cell electric technology and is part of the ZANZEFF project.&nbsp; Pioneered by the Port of&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;with leading support from Toyota, Kenworth, and Shell, the trailblazing endeavour provides a large-scale &lsquo;Shore-to-Store&rsquo; plan and a hydrogen fuel cell&nbsp; electric technology framework for freight facilities to structure operations for future goods movement.&nbsp;The initiative will help reduce emissions by over 500 tons of greenhouse gas and 0.72 weighted tons of NOx, ROG and PM10. &nbsp;</p>
<p>"The collaboration between the Port of&nbsp;Los Angeles, Kenworth, Toyota and Shell is providing an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the viability of fuel cell electric technology in both drayage service and regional haul commercial vehicle applications operating in&nbsp;Southern California," said&nbsp;Mike Dozier, general manager of Kenworth Truck Company and PACCAR vice president. &nbsp;"The performance of the 10 Kenworth Class 8 trucks being developed under this program, the first of which debuted yesterday, is targeted to meet or exceed that of a diesel-powered truck, while producing water as the only emissions byproduct."</p>
<p>The Port of&nbsp;Los Angeles, one of the global maritime leader with respect to zero-emission and near-zero-emission technology testing and adoption, will develop the project in several phases, ultimately encompassing initiatives in&nbsp;Southern California, the Central Coast Area, and&nbsp;Merced County. The initial phase is designed to kick-start the leap to a new class of&nbsp;goods movement vehicles, while reducing emissions in designated disadvantaged communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>"CARB&#39;s&nbsp;$41 million&nbsp;grant was instrumental in launching this project and putting this innovative technology into our rigorous environment," said Port of Los Angeles executive director&nbsp;Gene Seroka. "We&#39;re extremely proud of our role as a leading test lab for emerging green technology, helping to pave the way for next-generation, zero-emission technology."</p>
<p>The project phases will include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Ten new zero-emissions Kenworth/Toyota FCET</span>&nbsp;</strong>developed through a collaboration between Kenworth and Toyota to move cargo from the&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;and&nbsp;Long Beach&nbsp;ports throughout the&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;area, the Inland Empire, the Port of Hueneme, and eventually to&nbsp;Merced. The trucks will be operated by Toyota Logistics Services (4), United Parcel Services (3), Total Transportation Services Inc. (2), and Southern Counties Express (1).<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Two new large-capacity heavy-duty hydrogen fueling stations&nbsp;</span></strong>will be developed by Shell in&nbsp;Wilmington&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ontario,&nbsp;California. The two new stations will join three additional stations located at Toyota&#39;s Long Beach Logistics Services and Gardena R&amp;D facilities to form an integrated, five station heavy-duty hydrogen fueling network for the&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;basin. Together, these stations will provide multiple sources of hydrogen throughout the region, including over one ton of 100% renewable hydrogen per day at the Toyota Logistics Services station to be operated by Shell, and important research and development advances at a pair of stations operated by Air Liquide, all enabling zero-emissions freight transport.<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Expanded use of zero-emissions technology in cargo terminal and warehouse environments,</span></strong>&nbsp;including the first two zero-emissions yard tractors to be operated at the Port of Hueneme, as well as the expanded use of zero-emissions forklifts at Toyota&#39;s port warehouse.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">A drop of H<sub>2</sub>&nbsp;in the bucket</span></strong><br />
Over 16,000 trucks serve the&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;and&nbsp;Long Beach&nbsp;port complexes,&nbsp;North America&#39;s&nbsp;largest trade gateway for containerised cargo. That number is estimated to grow to 32,000 by 2030. Currently, more than 43,000 drayage trucks are in operation at ports across the United States.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/earth-day-2019-saving-planet-earth-42782"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Earth Day 2019: Saving Planet Earth</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The new fuel cell electric heavy duty trucks is a part of Toyota's Environmental Challenge 2050 efforts to eliminate CO2 emissions from its operations]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/72a274bf-8399-498c-8aec-e3fd38320983.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/72a274bf-8399-498c-8aec-e3fd38320983.jpg&h=485&w=73542796https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-and-kenworth-unveil-fuel-cell-electric-heavyduty-trucks-42796
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-and-kenworth-unveil-fuel-cell-electric-heavyduty-trucks-42796Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:50:00Ola to offer luxury self-drive subscription services<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/445c60c4-ddf7-4969-aee6-79518f873164.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>As per a PTI report, Indian ride-hailing service, Ola, is currently in talks with a number of luxury carmakers in India &ndash; including the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes &ndash; to offer a subscription-based self-driving scheme for luxury cars.</strong></p>
<p>The self-drive service, currently in its pilot phase, is only offered in the company&rsquo;s home city of Bengaluru, though it is expected to expand to cover other Indian cities.</p>
<p>Ola is reportedly set to invest up to $500 million (about Rs 3,488 crore) into the self-drive service. The report also stated that sources privy to the matter said that the ride-hailing service saw a lot of potential in the luxury self-drive segment and that the scheme would allow users to get access to luxury cars against the payment of a subscription fee.</p>
<p>Ola presently offers rides in luxury cars via the &lsquo;Lux&rsquo; category of its ride-hailing services.</p>
<p>In recent months,&nbsp;Ola entered into a partnership with Hyundai and Kia&nbsp;to collaborate on the development of EVs and India-specific models along with the installation of EV charging infrastructure across the country.</p>
<p>The company has also been expanding its operations in international markets&nbsp;by offering&nbsp;ride-hailing services in more cities across the UK. The company also has operations in Australia and New Zealand.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/ola-to-offer-luxury-self-drive-subscription-services-412432"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Source</span></a></em></p>
<![CDATA[The ride-hailing service is said to be in talks with the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes to offer luxury cars under a subscription-based, self-drive service.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/445c60c4-ddf7-4969-aee6-79518f873164.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/445c60c4-ddf7-4969-aee6-79518f873164.jpg&h=485&w=73542789https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ola-to-offer-luxury-selfdrive-subscription-services-42789
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ola-to-offer-luxury-selfdrive-subscription-services-42789Mon, 22 Apr 2019 17:09:00ZF-Foton JV in China begins making auto transmissions for CVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/23695ebd-c5a8-47a8-b765-147bc20b752b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>German components and technology major ZF and Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer Foton have opened a production plant in Jiaxing, to the south of Shanghai. The companies will focus primarily on the production of automated transmissions for heavy and light commercial vehicles.</strong></p>
<p>The joint venture, known as ZF Foton HCV Automated Transmissions (Jiaxing), in which ZF holds a 51 percent share, is focused on heavy commercial vehicles. The main objectives of this enterprise are the production and marketing of ZF&rsquo;s automatic commercial vehicle transmission system, TraXon, in China. The system will be integrated into commercial vehicles produced by&nbsp;Foton.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/2018-06-22_ETM-Award-2018_02.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 508px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>ZF&rsquo;s modular TraXon transmission system ensures efficiency in CVs. The integrated ZF-Intarder auxiliary brake reduces wear on the service brakes and increases safety.</em></p>
<p>Wolf-Henning Scheider, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen, said, &ldquo;In China, the demand for automated transmission systems for light and heavy commercial vehicles is growing strongly. Together with our partner Foton, we will produce our latest transmission technology in China and thus offer our local customers more efficiency, comfort and safety.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="Wolf-Henning Scheider" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/b2803f5e3c37bfcd_org.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Wolf-Henning Scheider"></p>
<p><em>Wolf-Henning Scheider, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, speaks at the opening of the JV&nbsp;production plant&nbsp;in Jiaxing, south of Shanghai.</em></p>
<p>ZF claims that compared to manual transmissions, the Traxon transmission&nbsp;reduces fleet average fuel consumption by up to 5 percent.</p>
<p>Heyi Xu, CEO of Foton&rsquo;s parent company BAIC Group, added: &ldquo;This joint venture sees the joined hands of two industry leaders. It speaks for the product innovation and business capabilities of BAIC&nbsp;and ZF global leadership in transmission products and manufacturing. Both parties will leverage on their respective technology and strengths, form a modular and standard production platform&nbsp;to produce cutting-edge, efficient and intelligent transmission products for the world. We will provide Chinese customers of commercial vehicles the desired world-class products, leading the development of the sector.&rdquo;</p>
<p>ZF Foton HCV Automated Transmissions (Jiaxing) has already begun production. Production capacities in Jiaxing will be expanded successively and this is where ZF will produce the Traxon 12-speed transmission for the Chinese market. With an efficiency factor of 99.7 percent, Traxon is the most efficient commercial vehicle transmission on the market today and can be combined with additional functions, ensuring its viability for future market developments. These functions include, for example, ZF&rsquo;s predictive gearshift strategy &lsquo;PreVision GPS&rsquo;. With improved use of the rolling function this can further increase efficiency. The off-road and rock-free functions can improve the transmission performance during winter months, or in special vehicle applications.</p>
<p>Moreover, ZF Foton HCV will offer the Traxon transmission system together with the &lsquo;Intarder&rsquo; transmission brake. This effectively brakes heavy trucks without strain or wear on the service brakes. The Intarder can increase safety and extend the service interval, thus offering additional cost advantages in practice. Production of the Intarder will also begin in Jiaxing, imminently.<br>
<br>
A second joint venture, Foton ZF LCV Automated Transmissions (Jiaxing), in which ZF holds a 40 percent share, produces transmissions for light commercial vehicles in Jiaxing for the Chinese market.</p>
<![CDATA[The joint venture will manufacture ZF’s automatic commercial vehicle transmission system, TraXon.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/23695ebd-c5a8-47a8-b765-147bc20b752b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/23695ebd-c5a8-47a8-b765-147bc20b752b.jpg&h=485&w=73542765https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zffoton-jv-in-china-begins-making-auto-transmissions-for-cvs-42765
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zffoton-jv-in-china-begins-making-auto-transmissions-for-cvs-42765Thu, 18 Apr 2019 16:02:00Renault targets last-mile delivery in urban cities with EZ-Flex LCVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/102cf240-16e0-40dd-b50f-1fcd065d5059.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>French vehicle major, is undertaking an experiment to better understand and last-mile urban deliveries, with the Renault EZ-Flex. The concept is an experimental electric and connected LCV that is both compact and agile, this the company says it was created and designed for sustainable mobility and delivery efficiency in urban areas. </strong></p>
<p>The company says the EZ-Flex is more than a vehicle, it is a real work tool. The concept vehicle will be lent to various professionals in Europe to collect all relevant data usage to better understand the needs associated with daily delivery in urban areas.</p>
<p>Renault says the volume of transported goods in the world is expected to quadruple by 2050. Within this context, at the end of 2018, the carmaker presented its vision of the future of urban delivery in 2030 with the electric, autonomous and connected Renault EZ-Pro concept car. With EZ-Flex, an electric and connected vehicle, Renault is preparing for the future by exploring the new uses of last-mile delivery.</p>
<p>The Renault EZ-Flex will be at the Renault stand at the VIVA Technology fair from May 16 to 18, 2019 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (France).</p>
<p>The OEM says the EZ-Flex&nbsp;is a&nbsp;compact and manoeuvrable&nbsp;vehicle designed to move seamlessly throughout cities. The vehicle has an optimal footprint in relation to its load space: the length (3.86m), width (1.65m) and height (1.88) are small enough to enable access to car parks. Its 3m<sup>3</sup>&nbsp;load capacity is exceptional for its dimensions and made possible by a compact cockpit which still offers the full range of assets of a true LCV. The 4.5-m turning circle provides excellent manoeuvrability in the streets of city centres.</p>
<p>Renault says everything was designed to&nbsp;meet the needs of a delivery driver; wide access to the cockpit; a clear central dashboard for quick and easy access to driving information; &nbsp;excellent visibility and simple and efficient controls.&nbsp;The interface&nbsp;is modern and apes the functionality users experience with their smartphones. It offers services and applications linked to the vehicle and can integrate further applications linked to various professionals&rsquo; activities.</p>
<p>The rear loading is optimised via an ergonomic loading height (760mm above ground) and opening enabling easy access to the entire load-bay. The vehicle was also designed to enable&nbsp;a wide variety of configurations for the cargo-bay. These rear space configurations are adaptable, designed to meet the different needs of the assorted professionals to whom the vehicle will be lent.</p>
<p>As an electric vehicle the EZ-Flex will be able to access city centres, and will come with a range of 100km adapted to the needs of urban delivery (urban deliveries require driving 50km per day on average).</p>
<p>Renault will be piloting a dozen EZ-Flex vehicles with various professionals, companies, cities and municipalities in Europe. The experiment is expected to last about 2 years. The vehicle is&nbsp;equipped with sensors&nbsp;to better understand its use. The professional users will further enrich this data with their feedback during the experiment. Different data types will be collected including but not limited to: Geolocation, mileage, range, use of cargo opening, speed and stops among others. This data will then be transferred via the vehicle&rsquo;s connected system, either in real-time or once per day, to understand the reality of daily use.</p>
<p>The analysis of the data, twinned with the users&rsquo; feedback,&nbsp;will enable Renault to design vehicles which are better adapted to the evolution of urban logistics.</p>
<![CDATA[The EZ-Flex will be able to operate in urban cities, and will have a range of around 100km.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/102cf240-16e0-40dd-b50f-1fcd065d5059.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/102cf240-16e0-40dd-b50f-1fcd065d5059.jpg&h=485&w=73542743https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/renault-targets-lastmile-delivery-in-urban-cities-with-ezflex-lcvs-42743
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/renault-targets-lastmile-delivery-in-urban-cities-with-ezflex-lcvs-42743Wed, 17 Apr 2019 16:43:00Piaggio to deliver 1,500 CVs to Ananda Dairy<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/bd8b6e3c-f4af-4448-914e-b55297713f18.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Piaggio Vehicles today announced that it has bagged an order to deliver 1,500 commercial vehicles to Ananda Dairy, a dairy products company based in Noida. The total delivery will be a mix of Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX and LDX+ range of special purpose vehicles. </strong></p>
<p>In addition to its products, Piaggio is also offering 36 months and 42 months super warranty on these special purpose vehicles. These vehicles will have special structures build for creating an insulated atmosphere with capability to deliver as well as vend milk products in fresh form.</p>
<p>The first batch of these SPVs were handed over by Diego Graffi, MD and CEO, Piaggio Vehicles to Ananada Dairy&#39;s CMD, Mr. Dixit in an event that took place at Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, the counsellor Alessandro De Masi, Head of the Economics and Innovation Division at the Embassy of Italy in India was also part of the event.</p>
<p>Piaggio says along with diesel variant, the Ape&rsquo; Xtra range CNG/LPG is available with water-cooled engine,&nbsp;with a claimed largest and industry first deck size of 6ft. The alternate fuel (CNG and LPG) range of vehicles is part of a strategic initiative from Piaggio to offer best in class offerings to customers and keep up with the changing market needs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Speaking at the occasion, Diego Graffi, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;We are extremely happy to partner with Ananda Dairy to provide our special purpose vehicles. On this occasion I would like to thank Ananda Dairy management for giving us this opportunity. At Piaggio our core philosophy is to provide path breaking solutions in the last-mile transportation segment and we are committed to provide best in class offerings to our customers. With this association I see many new opportunities for us in the coming future in the growing dairy space.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Commenting on the association with Piaggio, Mr. Dixit, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;We are very excited to partner with Piaggio for our commercial vehicle needs. Piaggio&rsquo;s trust with its USPs of superior mileage and low maintenance made it a natural choice for us when it came to this large order of the special application category.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to Diego Graffi, &ldquo;Our philosophy is to go as near as possible to our customers and companies whenever they need our customised solutions. These vehicles have been specially developed based on the specifications and requirements put forth by Ananda. We have developed an insulation box for them which is capable of keeping dairy goods safe over an 8-hour daily operational basis, within a temperature drop of 5-6 degree centigrade.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;While we are going to offer them exclusivity for this kind of application, but as our experience tells us, Ape is used around the world for any kind of business application, so whenever there is a need for any kind of new implementation in India, we are more than available to support them,&rdquo; Graffi added.</p>
<p>With regards Piaggio&#39;s performance in FY2019, Graffi said, &ldquo;We have seen double-digit growth in domestic sales in FY2019 compared to the previous year. Yes, the base (FY2017-18) was not the best in terms of benchmarking given that the industry had reported slow sales after demonetisation and transitioning to BS IV. But I would say that looking at the overall perspective between domestic and exports, last year was one of the best in the history of PVPL since its inception in this country more than twenty years ago.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;In terms of turnover and profitability, it has been a record year and we are quite happy of the work that we have gained last year,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<p>While Piaggio delivered the first batch of vehicles today, the complete order will be executed in the next three to four months.</p>
<p><strong>Interview: <span style="color:#0000FF;">Diego Graffi, MD and CEO, Piaggio India</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;"><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/16/WEB_DSC6527.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 603px;" title=""></span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Do you see tough times continuing ahead into FY2020 as well for the industry as a whole?</span></strong><br>
It is quite challenging given the lowering demand over the last few months. But having said that, I would say that luckily we have been impacted less than our competitors and we have been able to maintain our growth path as it was expected initially. This, we were able to do through our new product proposition and network expansion both in CVs and two-wheelers. We see the next quarter to be quite challenging with upcoming general elections bringing in uncertainty in the market, but, we are quite optimistic that recovery of consumer sentiment will start picking up after June-July.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Are you expecting pre-buying before BS VI implementation?</span></strong><br>
It could be the case as we have seen similar situation during the BS III to BS IV transition. Most probably this will happen in the first quarter of CY2020, but our focus now is to actually be ready in advance with the technology for the transition.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">What is going to be the next product from Piaggio in the CV segment?</span></strong><br>
The first one to come to market will be a product that for us will be new as we would be entering into the mid-body segment with it. It will be a passenger vehicle meant for urban and suburban purposes which means that it would be positioned in between the big and the smaller ones. This will give it more flexibility in terms of proposition and it will be available with all kinds of powertrain options - petrol, diesel, CNG and LPG - and will be launched within the next two months.</p>
<p>This new passenger carrier will be followed by an electric passenger carrier in the August-September months of this year.</p>
<![CDATA[Piaggio delivered the first batch of vehicles today, the complete order will be executed in the next three to four months.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/bd8b6e3c-f4af-4448-914e-b55297713f18.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/bd8b6e3c-f4af-4448-914e-b55297713f18.JPG&h=485&w=73542725https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-to-deliver-1-500-cvs-to-ananda-dairy-42725
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-to-deliver-1-500-cvs-to-ananda-dairy-42725Tue, 16 Apr 2019 15:36:00India’s heavy truck sales hit all-time high in FY2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1e840820-755f-4b7e-8b25-a6427568bf5d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>If India Auto Inc&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/india-auto-inc%E2%80%99s-sales-cross-25m-units-for-the-first-time-in-fy2019-42644"><span style="color:#FF0000;">FY2019 sales, at 26,267,783 units (+5.15%)</span></a> &nbsp;had a little bit of shine in them, then it was thanks to the robust performance of the commercial vehicle (CV) sector. While the passenger vehicle (PV) and two-wheeler sectors faltered with single-digit growth, the CV sector seems to have saved the blushes for the overall industry with strong sales in both the light commercial vehicle (LCV) and medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&amp;HCV) segments. The critical goods carrier sub-segments in both vehicle categories have delivered and how.</strong></p>
<p>Importantly, the Indian domestic CV industry achieved a significant milestone of crossing 1 million unit sales in a fiscal year for the first time. In FY2019, a total of 1,00,7,319 units were sold, with year-on-year growth at a happy 17.5 percent. What helped the sector achieve the big number is all-time-high sales of heavy-duty trucks.</p>
<p>The heavy truck segment, which is a cyclical business, always rapidly grows after experiencing a gradual decline in a cycle. The previous sales peak of heavy trucks was recorded in FY2013 with sales of 299,334 units, which was followed by a steady decline in subsequent years. In FY2018, due to the low base as a result of the implementation of BS IV norms, heavy truck sales rose sharply to 304,313 units, notching a new benchmark.</p>
<p>The first nine months of FY2019 saw the M&amp;HCV goods segment race ahead as a result of sustained replacement demand, higher economic activities, government spend on the infrastructure sector. While the next three months&rsquo; sales were a tad slow, the overall numbers for the fiscal were a new record high &ndash;351,128 units, up by 15 percent year on year. This clearly pegs India as one of the largest heavy truck markets globally just behind China, surpassing Europe and the USA. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The goods carrier sub-segment, as against the passenger carrier in both LCV and M&amp;HCV segments, are typically the drivers of the economy. Not surprisingly, both have recorded handsome numbers in FY2019 &ndash; LCVs at 564,409 units (+20.82%) and M&amp;HCVs at 351,128 untis (+15.25%). While the LCVs outnumber M&amp;HCVs but the heavy trucks are not only the movers and shakers of the economy but notably offer high profitability to their manufacturers.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/20170320_070020-2.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 418px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Tata Motors maintains stranglehold on the sector</span></strong><br>
Two domestic OEMs dominate this most coveted market with a combined market share of nearly 84 percent share, leaving barely 16 percent to the other 4 players to fight for. <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors</span></strong>,&nbsp;The M&amp;HCV goods carrier market leader Market leader Tata Motors continues to retain its stranglehold over the sector &ndash; the company sold a total of 181,265 trucks, albeit with flat YoY growth, to have a market share of 51.62 percent. It is to be noted that at its peak in FY2012, Tata Motors had sold 186,298 units and had a bigger &nbsp;market share of 62 percent. This underlines the fact that over the past seven years, the company has shed nearly 10 percent market share in the heavy truck goods carrier segment. Now the company is aggressively driving a new product offensive as well as best-in-class products to further growth market share.</p>
<p>Tata Motors loss in market share over the year is <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland</span></strong>&rsquo;s gain. The Chennai-based CV maker, which is now well established in the heavy-duty truck segment, recorded its highest-ever sales of 115,613 units, that gives it a market share of 32.9 percent. Compared this performance to FY2012, when Ashok Leyland had sold 60,480 trucks and had a 20.2 percent market share.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles&nbsp;</span></strong>(VECV) and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra are the two other players in the heavy truck segment looking to grow their footprint in the market. VECV, which started off as a medium-duty player way back in the 1980s and inked a partnership with global truck player Volvo in 2008, has evolved to become a serious player. Holding on its promise of superior fuel economy, the most important aspect of a truck and for its owners, the company has slowly expanded its product portfolio into the heavy truck segment. In FY2019, with total heavy-duty truck sales of 39,230 units, it has an 11.17 percent share.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra&nbsp;</span></strong>which crossed the landmark of 10,000 unit sales in a fiscal year has a market share of 3 percent. The company is also focusing on expanding its products, services, and higher technological products to emerge as a challenger brand to the existing players. The recent launches of the Blazo and Furio truck brands are a case in point. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Daimler India Commercial Vehicles</span></strong> (DICV),&nbsp;the wholly- owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, the world&rsquo;s leading CV manufacturer is emerging as a strong players in the domestic market. The German truck maker however does not report its sales figures to the Industry body SIAM. The company&#39;s India truck portfolio starts from 9T GVW in the domestic markets, In&nbsp;calendar year 2018, DICV has sold a total of 22,532 trucks, up by 35 percent. After initial challenges,it has reported a&nbsp; break-even in its truck business 6 years after retailing its &lsquo;BharatBenz&rsquo; trucks in India.&nbsp;The company is committed to the Indian market for a longer term and continues to make sizeable investment products as well as an extensive service network. With more than 22,500 truck sales last year, India has becomes the fifth largest individual market for Daimler Trucks worldwide, underlining the importance of DICV and BharatBenz for Daimler Trucks.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/M%26HCV%20SALES%20TABLE.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 250px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/ashok-leyland-maintains-leadership-in-heavyduty-buses-in-fy2019-42680"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Ashok Leyland maintains leadership in heavy-duty buses in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-grabs-10-market-share-in-india%E2%80%99s-minitruck-market-42687"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Maruti Super Carry grabs 10% market share in India&rsquo;s mini-truck market</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/india-auto-inc%E2%80%99s-sales-cross-25m-units-for-the-first-time-in-fy2019-42644"><span style="color:#FF0000;">India Auto Inc&rsquo;s sales cross 25m units for the first time in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata-motors-increases-its-uv-market-share-to-over-8-in-fy2019-42688"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Tata Motors increases its UV market share to over 8% in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-suzuki-expands-pv-market-share-to-51-despite-slowdown-in-fy2019--42698"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Maruti Suzuki expands PV market share to 51% despite slowdown in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Bajaj Auto biggest 2W market share gainer in FY2019</span></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Demand for M&HCV goods carriers, the movers and shakers of the economy, rose 15% to reach 351,128 units. This makes India the No. 2 heavy truck market just behind China, surpassing Europe and the USA. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1e840820-755f-4b7e-8b25-a6427568bf5d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1e840820-755f-4b7e-8b25-a6427568bf5d.jpg&h=485&w=73542700https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/india’s-heavy-truck-sales-hit-alltime-high-in-fy2019-42700
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/india’s-heavy-truck-sales-hit-alltime-high-in-fy2019-42700Sat, 13 Apr 2019 17:21:00Maruti Super Carry grabs 10% market share in India’s mini-truck market<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ef36f20a-3b83-4dd0-991a-2d7128a29125.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Maruti Suzuki India&rsquo;s entry into the commercial vehicle segment appears to be paying off for the company. The Super Carry mini-truck, its lone product targeted at the last-mile goods delivery, is gradually gaining market share. The 2-tonne mini-truck segment is dominated by driver-cum entrepreneurial owners with Tata Motors and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra the market leaders with an expansive range of products competitive price-points.</strong></p>
<p>While Maruti Suzuki, the dominant passenger vehicle market leader, would have preferred to see stronger numbers for the Super Carry, the mini-truck is slowly gaining acceptance across the country. In FY2019, the vehicle sold 10,033 units to get market share of 6 percent. In FY2019, it grew market share by 4 percentage points to 10 percent, with sales of 23,874 units, up 137 percent year on year, albeit on a low year-ago base. The company also exported 2,251 units of the Super Carry to some African countries. &nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/WEB%20SUPER%20CARRY%2020170905_170619_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 347px;" title=""></p>
<p>The Super Carry has some distinct features along with the focus on driver comfort. The spacious driver&rsquo;s cabin comes with ergonomically designed features like flat and extended co-passenger seat with a thick glass fibre heat shield for better heat insulation and NVH, a well-positioned gear lever and ergonomically placed pedals. On the features front, it gets a mobile charging socket, dual assist grip, odometer, trip meter, fuel meter and digital clock, besides provision for a stereo. There is also an integrated rain guard, sliding back window glass, and conveniently located spare wheel carrier for ease of replacement. Nevertheless, the Super Carry, has still a long way before it proves to be any real threat to the market leaders. However, the company&rsquo;s decades-old hold on the competitive passenger car segment is any indication, then it would certainly look to make further in-roads in the mini truck segment to emerge a formidable player.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Tata Motors leads the pack</span><br>
​</strong>In the 2-tonne mini-truck segment, Tata Motors and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra are the two formidable players dominate the category with 89 percent of combined market share. In FY2019, the segment registered total sales of 235,024 units, up by nearly 42 percent (FY2018:165,479).</p>
<p>Tata Motors is a clear market leader in the segment with a sale of 156,409 units with a market share of 66 percent. The extended Tata Ace range of small trucks continues to rule the market as it is the most preferred choice for last-mile connectivity. M&amp;M with its &nbsp;Jeeto range of small trucks has a market share of 22.6 percent but still remains a distant No. 2 to Tata Motors which has an overwhelming 66 percent market share.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/FY2019%20-%202-TON%20MINI-TRUCKS.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 795px; height: 217px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Passenger vehicle market leader’s sole commercial vehicle sees growing acceptance across the country. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ef36f20a-3b83-4dd0-991a-2d7128a29125.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ef36f20a-3b83-4dd0-991a-2d7128a29125.jpg&h=485&w=73542687https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-grabs-10-market-share-in-india’s-minitruck-market-42687
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/maruti-super-carry-grabs-10-market-share-in-india’s-minitruck-market-42687Fri, 12 Apr 2019 14:40:00Ashok Leyland maintains leadership in heavy-duty buses in FY2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9ff215a5-161f-4289-b13c-c98070aca874.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Backed by sustained demand from private fleet operators and the bulk orders by various state transport undertakings (STUs), the heavy-duty bus segment &ndash; 7.5 tonnes and above &ndash; which declined in FY2018 by a substantial 25 percent has rebounded in FY2019 with a growth of 10 percent with sales of 39,612 units. (FY17-18: 36,117)&nbsp; &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>This segment is largely dominated by two large domestic players &ndash; Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors &ndash; who have a combined market share of 78 percent. Ashok Leyland once again maintains its leadership with an overall market share of 41.2 percent. The company has sold 16,323 units in FY2019 and gained 3.2 percent market share YoY.</p>
<p>Tata Motors, which is a fierce competitor for the leadership, saw flat growth and sold a total of 14,447 units which gives it a market share of 36.4 percent YoY. VE Commercial vehicles, SML Isuzu and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra are the other players in this segment with market shares of 10.4, 7.1 and 3 percent respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Ashok Leyland bosses the 12-16T segment, Tata leads in 7.5-12T market &nbsp;</span></strong><br>
The heavy bus market is categorised into two large sub-segments &ndash;&nbsp;Mass exceeding 7.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes and Mass exceeding 12 but not exceeding 16.2 tonnes.</p>
<p>While Ashok Leyland leads in the overall bus market, each of the two sub-segments are dominated by the market leaders. Ashok Leyland is the dominant player in the 12-16.2T category, where mostly private players and STUs are big customers, with an over 60 percent share. The Viking, Cheetah and 12M are the company&rsquo;s tried-and-tested products in the segment. Tata Motors is a distant second with a 33 percent share.</p>
<p>Similarly, in the 7.5-12T category, Tata Motors leads with a 41 percent market share with its Starbus and Starbus Ultra range of buses whereas Ashok Leyland has 21 percent market share with its Lynx range of buses.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">High growth potential in India&#39;s bus market</span></strong><br>
Like the heavy truck market, the Indian heavy bus segment is the second largest market globally behind China. Growing urbanisation, higher density of population and an increasing need for public transport services across cities and towns is likely to drive demand for buses in India.&nbsp;However, demand for the buses segment is still small as compared to the goods carrier segment. In FY2019 the total M&amp;HCV truck segment registered total sales of 351,128 units, whereas bus sales were 39,612 units, a little above 10 percent of the number of trucks sold. Globally, in developed markets, the bus segment is between 35-40 percent of the total CV market, which is indicative of the high growth potential for buses in India.</p>
<p>In the global bus market, India is behind China with a volume of 39,612 units sold last year. Europe as a whole accounts for about 30,000 units, Latin America 25,000 and Africa even less.&nbsp; The bus market in India is expected to grow over time, considering the average bus penetration is far below than what is essential for mobility needs of the country&rsquo;s vast population.&nbsp;Historically, the Indian market has grown at an average of 9 percent between 2000-2012, after which the sales momentum slowed down until 2017, which meant the average growth rate of the total bus market from 2000-2017 was 4 percent. This may look moderate but given the overall size of the total bus market, this is sustainable for a long time.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/FY2019%20HEAVY%20TRUCKS.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 383px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Ashok Leyland is the dominant player in the 12-16.2T category, where mostly private players and STUs are big customers, with an over 60 percent share.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9ff215a5-161f-4289-b13c-c98070aca874.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9ff215a5-161f-4289-b13c-c98070aca874.jpg&h=485&w=73542680https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/ashok-leyland-maintains-leadership-in-heavyduty-buses-in-fy2019-42680
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/ashok-leyland-maintains-leadership-in-heavyduty-buses-in-fy2019-42680Fri, 12 Apr 2019 10:41:00Enterprise partners Nippon for car rental services in Japan<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2f97652b-1088-41ee-8d8e-d659062c1c76.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Enterprise Holdings, said to be one of the largest car rental operators in the world from the US, has announced a new partnership with Nippon Rent-A-Car International to expand car rental services in Japan. The two companies have entered into a franchise agreement that provides access to Enterprise&#39;s brands for visitors to&nbsp;Japan, as well as for Japanese residents travelling overseas.</strong></p>
<p>The agreement underscores Enterprise&#39;s commitment to continue its international expansion and offer customers access to&nbsp;Enterprise Rent-A-Car,&nbsp;National Car Rental&nbsp;and&nbsp;Alamo Rent A Car&nbsp;brands anywhere in the world. The new partnership will enable tourists and business travellers to rent cars while visiting&nbsp;Japan. In addition, travellers from&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;heading overseas will be able to rent cars at more than 10,000 locations in 90 countries through Enterprise Holdings&#39; global network.</p>
<p>Peter Smith, vice president of Global Franchising at Enterprise Holdings said, &ldquo;We&#39;re thrilled to partner with such a distinguished brand as Nippon Rent-A-Car to strengthen our global network and offer business and leisure travellers alike expanded mobility options in one of the world&#39;s most important economies.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The partnership will be launched in&nbsp;April 2019&nbsp;at approximately 80 Nippon Rent-A-Car offices located at&nbsp;Japan&#39;s airports. These rental offices will feature the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, as well as the Nippon Rent-A-Car brand, and will offer discounted rental rates. As the partnership progresses over the next few years, both companies will work together to develop additional customer offerings and services.</p>
<p>Nippon Rent-A-Car claims to have 850 locations that give customers access to at least 42,000 vehicles throughout the country. Nippon has an existing partnership with National Car Rental that allows Japanese customers to reserve cars in&nbsp;the United States&nbsp;and&nbsp;Canada&nbsp;and enables North American travellers to book cars in&nbsp;Japan. This new partnership greatly expands the brands and locations that customers in both markets can choose to meet their mobility needs.</p>
<![CDATA[Enterprise and Nippon’s partnership will enable renting cars in Japan through Nippon’s network and overseas through Enterprise’s global network.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2f97652b-1088-41ee-8d8e-d659062c1c76.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2f97652b-1088-41ee-8d8e-d659062c1c76.jpg&h=485&w=73542655https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/enterprise-partners-nippon-for-car-rental-services-in-japan-42655
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/enterprise-partners-nippon-for-car-rental-services-in-japan-42655Tue, 09 Apr 2019 11:50:00Tata Motors’ launches welfare program for truck drivers<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6e6937a3-ccd8-43f4-9b66-db5f311fd2e3.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors, the country&#39;s largest commercial vehicle player today launched Samarth, a first-of-its-kind program, with an aim to acknowledge and promote the driving profession in the trucking space. </strong></p>
<p>Under this initiative, Tata Motors Samarth will endeavour to address four critical areas for the drivers&rsquo; well-being, which are presently identified as Swasthya (Wellness program); Sampatti (finance program); Siksha (education program) along with Surakshit Samarth (driver on wheel insurance). The program will be launched across the country India and will attempt to reach out to more than 500,000 drivers every year.</p>
<p>Extending the benefits to the driver&rsquo;s family and securing their future, Tata Motors along with Oriental Insurance Company&nbsp;has introduced&nbsp;Surakshit Samarth, which will provide an accidental death or disability cover up to Rs 1,000,000 per year, per vehicle for drivers and owner drivers linked to the Chassis, since 2011.</p>
<p>Today, in association with Tata AIG General Insurance Company,&nbsp;the Swasthya Samarth&nbsp;program aims to provide health insurance products including 2 comprehensive health check-ups covering 6 health profiles/57 tests&nbsp;and Rs 50,000 hospitalisation coverage, with an option to upgrade to family cover. The program will be linked to new vehicle&nbsp;sales and the policy will be issued by&nbsp;Tata AIG, and the insurance company will also set up free medical camps at Tata Motors defined locations.</p>
<p>Commenting on the launch of Tata Motors Samarth program,&nbsp; Girish Wagh, president, CVBU, Tata Motors&nbsp;said,&nbsp;&ldquo;True to the philosophy of connecting aspirations, we at Tata Motors are driving our efforts towards driver empowerment and welfare. Our Samarth program is tailored to make the entire trucking profession dignified. We intend to cement our long-lasting relationship with our customers and their drivers to safeguard their health, ensuring overall wellbeing of their families and in the process uplift the quality of life for them.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In addition to the healthcare benefits,&nbsp;Sampatti Samarth&nbsp;plans to encourage investment habits among drivers through its SIP offering by ICICI Prudential and Tata Mutual Funds, with a lock-in period of 3 years, as well as conduct financial literacy camps for drivers and owner drivers across India.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Tata Motors has joined hands with Toppr and introduced&nbsp;Siksha Samarth.&nbsp;Toppr is a learning app for classes 5th to 12th that helps students prepare for every board, competitive and scholastic exam. It personalises learning by creating a unique path for each student based on their strengths and weaknesses.</p>
<p>On Toppr, students can watch free video lectures, practice questions designed&nbsp;for them, attempt mock tests and get their doubts solved 24x7. Meritorious students of customers, owner-drivers and drivers in Class 8 to Class 10 who are eligible under the scholarship scheme of Tata motors will receive one year free subscription of Toppr&nbsp;for relevant academic year.</p>
<p>Apart from the grueling work schedule, extended periods away from home, commercial vehicle drivers and owner drivers have the additional pressure of healthcare costs. The launch of the all-encompassing initiative by Tata Motors is designed to positively impact the CV community and work towards improving society&rsquo;s perception of this profession.</p>
<p>Through the Samarth program, the company is providing a common platform for various industry stakeholders to reach out and address the health, education and finance needs of drivers&rsquo; community via their customise product offerings.</p>
<![CDATA[Under this initiative, Tata Motors will address four critical areas for the drivers’ well-being - wellness finance, education and driver on wheel insurance.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6e6937a3-ccd8-43f4-9b66-db5f311fd2e3.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6e6937a3-ccd8-43f4-9b66-db5f311fd2e3.jpg&h=485&w=73542647https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors’-launches-welfare-program-for-truck-drivers-42647
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors’-launches-welfare-program-for-truck-drivers-42647Mon, 08 Apr 2019 14:52:00Mahindra Bolero pickup posts best-ever sales of 162,000 units in FY2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/46fa3f64-6eaf-4a58-92ed-503f44f576d0.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra has announced that its popular Bolero pickup vehicle range has notched a new milestone with sales&nbsp;crossing the 150,000 unit mark in the domestic market in FY2019. </strong></p>
<p>The Mahindra Bolero pickup range recorded sales of 162,000 units in FY2019, compared to 149,121 units in FY2018, which translates into&nbsp;growth of 9 percent. This, the company says, is the highest ever annual sales growth for Mahindra&rsquo;s pickup range since its launch.</p>
<p>Commenting on the milestone, Veejay Ram Nakra, chief of sales and marketing - Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;Mahindra has been the market leader in the pickup segment for over a decade. The journey toward achieving this over 150,000 units milestone of pickups in FY2019 is a proud moment for us. We are grateful to all our customers for their belief in the brand and for the success of our newly launched Maha Bolero Pickup 1.7T.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The company claims that its pickup range has been the market leader since its launch on the back of its customer-centric approach, in addition to the product offering itself. Mahindra says it has introduced new products and technologies at regular intervals to address evolving customer needs&nbsp;by constantly updating its products, for instance, it introduced the first AC pickup, first 4x4 pickup, first double-cabin pickup, the first CNG and the first micro-hybrid pickup to maintain its market leadership.</p>
<p>At present, the pickup segment in India has sales of over 14,000 vehicles per month and is growing rapidly, and Mahindra says it had 58 percent market share in FY2019.</p>
<![CDATA[With sales up by 9% YoY, the Bolero Pickup range helped the company attain a market share of 58 percent in the 2-tonne to 3.5-tonne LCV category.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/46fa3f64-6eaf-4a58-92ed-503f44f576d0.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/46fa3f64-6eaf-4a58-92ed-503f44f576d0.jpg&h=485&w=73542640https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-bolero-pickup-posts--bestever-sales-of-162-000-units-in-fy2019-42640
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-bolero-pickup-posts--bestever-sales-of-162-000-units-in-fy2019-42640Mon, 08 Apr 2019 11:31:00Swaraj Tractors produces 15th lakh tractor in 4 decades<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cd1bb401-124b-4ffe-acc7-f889643b41a1.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Swaraj Tractors, a part of the Mahindra Group, today announced that it had crossed a production milestone of 15 lakh tractors since its inception over 4 decades ago. Swaraj produced over 120,000 tractors in the&nbsp;</strong><strong>financial&nbsp;</strong><strong>year 2018-19 itself.</strong></p>
<p>Speaking on the milestone, Harish Chavan, CEO, Swaraj Division said, &ldquo;We are thankful to all our stakeholders for their unconditional support toward the growth of this brand. Swaraj has constantly achieved manufacturing excellence which reflects our commitment and spirit of accepting no limits. This achievement will be a stepping stone to many more accolades for us in times to come. The milestone is a testament to the customer&rsquo;s confidence in brand Swaraj. The brand has very high customer loyalty and trust built around the value of being authentic and powerful, fondly called as &lsquo;Mera Swaraj&rsquo;. This achievement has further cemented Swaraj&rsquo;s reputation of being one of the fastest growing brands in the domestic tractor market over the past few years.</p>
<p>Swaraj claims to have achieved the first 5 lakh tractor production milestone in 28 years in 2002. The second 5 lakh figure was completed over the next 11 years in 2013. The next additional 5 lakh production milestone was achieved in just 5 years wherein the tractor maker reached the 15 lakh units milestone.</p>
<p>Swaraj has three manufacturing units (including a foundry) and an R&amp;D centre, all located in Punjab. The 15th lakh tractor to roll out from the production line was the Swaraj 735FE, one of the company&rsquo;s highest selling models. Swaraj currently manufactures tractors in the range of 15HP to 65HP and provides comprehensive farming solutions for the Indian market.</p>
<![CDATA[Swaraj Tractors, part of the Mahindra Group produced the 15th lakh tractor after producing 120,000 tractors in the financial year 2018-19.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cd1bb401-124b-4ffe-acc7-f889643b41a1.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cd1bb401-124b-4ffe-acc7-f889643b41a1.jpg&h=485&w=73542610https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/swaraj-tractors-produces-15th-lakh-tractor-in-4-decades-42610
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/swaraj-tractors-produces-15th-lakh-tractor-in-4-decades-42610Thu, 04 Apr 2019 17:18:00Tata Motors announces free engine health check-up service for CVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc5e0085-98fc-4667-8ffb-0dfa1bc8520b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors, one of India&rsquo;s leading commercial vehicle brand has launched what it claims to be the first-of-its-kind three-months long &lsquo;Free Engine Health Check-up Service Camp&rsquo; from 1<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">st</span> April &ndash; 30th June 2019. The service camp is aimed&nbsp;to educate customers and drivers about the importance of engine and vehicle maintenance. The company will be organising this service camp across its 1,500+ dealers and Tata Authorised Service Stations (TASS) for all commercial vehicle customers across the country.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Tata Motors will be organising workshops to explain the benefits of vehicle maintenance such as fuel efficiency, maximising vehicle performance and enhancing return on investment. This initiative will be supported by esteemed company vendors namely Cummins, Bosch, Lucas, Delphi, Fleet Guard, SEG, Turbo Energy, Tata Toyo, Banco and Alkraft by their presence in the campaign.</p>
<p>Commenting on the occasion,&nbsp;R&nbsp;Ramakrishnan, Global Head Customer care, CVBU, Tata Motors, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;We at Tata Motors aim to provide consistent quality service, backed by new technologies, to ensure that our customers have a pleasant after sales experience. The objective of the &lsquo;Engine Health Check-up Service Camp&rsquo; is to assist our customers and channel partners in improving the efficiency of their vehicles. We believe such initiatives will enable us to build a strong connect and to enhance customer satisfaction.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Tata Motors is currently providing its customers with over 26 initiatives, including:</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Customer Care App:<strong>&nbsp;</strong>A single window mobile application, which gives access to a host of features including emergency SOS, Service Booking facility, Maintenance tips, Service History, Dealer location GPS Trip Meter etc.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tata Alert:&nbsp;Tata Alert offers 24 x 7 breakdown assistance and support for Tata vehicles, so that business functions nonstop.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tata Zippy:&nbsp;Tata Zippy offers the shortest possible uptime of new vehicles, which come in for repair so that your journey to success faces no delays.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tata Kavach:&nbsp;Tata Kavach ensures that your business never goes off-track by offering the shortest possible uptime of vehicles, which come in for accidental repair.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Service Onsite:&nbsp;To meet tight project schedules, tippers are deployed on-site, which are away from town-based dealers or TASS, get on-site service through on-site packages.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mobile Service Van:&nbsp;With this service, customers can avail quick services at their doorstep.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Mobile Workshop &amp; Container Workshops:&nbsp;250+ Mobile Workshops and 550+ container workshops that are equipped with all tools and equipment, providing onsite service to vehicles across India, to save time and cost of repair.</p>
<![CDATA[The complimentary Engine Health Check-up Service Camp will assist its customers and channel partners through its 1,500+ dealers and authorized service stations.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc5e0085-98fc-4667-8ffb-0dfa1bc8520b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc5e0085-98fc-4667-8ffb-0dfa1bc8520b.jpg&h=485&w=73542606https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-announces-free-engine-health-checkup-service-for-cvs-42606
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-announces-free-engine-health-checkup-service-for-cvs-42606Thu, 04 Apr 2019 15:10:00DB Schenker acquires more Fuso eCanter trucks for Paris, Frankfurt and Stuttgart operations<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/778205f0-ccff-45cd-ba6a-7c1cb5bdff17.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Logistics service provider DB Schenker and Fuso,&nbsp;a Daimler Trucks brand, are expanding their partnership in the field of fully-electric light-duty trucks. Thus DB Schenker took on four additional Fuso eCanter trucks in March for urban short-radius distribution in Paris, Frankfurt and the Stuttgart region.</strong></p>
<p>DB Schenker has already been using an eCanter in Berlin since last year and is testing the use of the vehicles in mixed fleets. DB Schenker is now in talks with Fuso about further eCanter vehicles for additional European markets.</p>
<p>Tristan Keusgen, head of European Fleet Management at DB Schenker, said: "We need to bring goods into inner cities in a more sustainable manner and irrespective of vehicle bans. Our experience with the Fuso eCanter up until now has been valuable &ndash; it is perfectly suited to serving our customers in urban areas such as Paris or Frankfurt."</p>
<p>"We are delighted that in future we will be working even more closely with DB Schenker on the electrification of inner-city short-radius distribution. The positive feedback regarding operation makes us very proud &ndash; and at the same time it is an incentive to further improve the Fuso eCanter. Our mutual approach is to learn from one another. In doing so Fuso can access the extensive network of the E-Mobility Group (EMG) within Daimler Trucks," commented Harald Schmid, head of Sales &amp; Market Management at FUSO Europe &amp; USA.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Emission-free in inner cities</span></strong><br />
DB Schenker is planning to use two eCanter trucks in France; they will be making around four trips a day with 10 to 12 stops in the Paris region. Two eCanters are also on the road in Frankfurt and the Stuttgart region, delivering to customers in inner-city areas almost silently and with zero emissions. Since 2018 DB Schenker has been testing a Fuso eCanter as a series-production electric vehicle in Berlin under real operating conditions. The vehicle transports packaged goods in the inner city. Experience with the vehicle in Berlin has been consistently positive &ndash; drivers praise the pulling power and agility of the electric drive and the peace in the cockpit.</p>
<p>In addition to Paris, Berlin and Frankfurt, the fully electric light-duty trucks with an output of 129&nbsp;kW and a payload of up to four tonnes are also on the road in other important European cities such as London, Amsterdam and Lisbon as well as in New York and Tokyo.</p>
<p>At present a total of more than 100 eCanter trucks are being used in delivery operations worldwide and have completed more than 300,000km &#39;electrically&#39;. The 7.5-tonne vehicles boast a range of at least 100&nbsp;kilometres and are thus able to cover the requirements of customers in inner-city short-radius distribution without problem. The vehicles are charged simply overnight either with alternating current or direct current chargers depending on availability. Charging can be reduced to around 90&nbsp;minutes if a high-speed charger is used.</p>
<p>DB Schenker is the number one in European overland transportation. With 430 locations, DB Schenker provides overland transportation products and services within a comprehensive pan-European network. A total of more than 45,000 vehicles are on the road in Europe for customers of DB Schenker, which with a turnover of 4.3 billion euros in 2018, is also the leading provider of integrated logistics in the German market.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Also read</span>:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-launches-fuso-canter-electric-truck-series-production-26201"><span style="color:#00923E;">Daimler launches Fuso e-Canter, first all-electric truck in series production</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[At present a total of more than 100 eCanter trucks are being used in delivery operations worldwide and have completed more than 300,000km 'electrically'.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/778205f0-ccff-45cd-ba6a-7c1cb5bdff17.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/778205f0-ccff-45cd-ba6a-7c1cb5bdff17.jpg&h=485&w=73542582https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/db-schenker-acquires-more-fuso-ecanter-trucks-for-paris--frankfurt-and-stuttgart-operations-42582
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/db-schenker-acquires-more-fuso-ecanter-trucks-for-paris--frankfurt-and-stuttgart-operations-42582Tue, 02 Apr 2019 20:27:00CV makers record double-digit growth, cross million sales for the first time in FY2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e6e7348b-37f0-4a55-8981-0d1c8b3914af.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Despite FY2019 being an iffy fiscal year, full of ups and downs (with more of the latter), the commercial vehicle industry in India has come out with flying colours in the domestic market. That&rsquo;s because CV OEMs have crossed the million-unit (10 lakh) sales milestone for the first time in a fiscal.</strong></p>
<p>In FY2018, the CV industry sold a total of 856,453 units, which marked 19.94 percent year-on-year growth, and best-ever sales in a fiscal. Now, as per <em>Autocar Professional</em>&rsquo;s analysis, and given the sales data released by 6 manufacturers, India&rsquo;s CV industry has done even better to not only post better overall numbers but also register double-digit growth for the second year in a row. At a cumulative 1,001,623 units, the 6 OEMs have helped the industry record near-18 percent YoY growth (see sales table below).</p>
<p>Ideally, the CV industry should have posted better numbers, given the cracking speed at which it was driving along in the first nine months of FY2019. However, like the passenger vehicle industry, it was impacted by slowing growth in the fourth quarter. The flat industry growth in the month of March 2019 (see detailed sales table below) is indicative of the tough Q4 FY2019.</p>
<p>The CV industry faced multiple headwinds during the year such as the revised axle-load norms, the NBFC crisis, slowing down of the economy and overall subdued movement of goods, rural market distress and lower-than- expected activity in the overall manufacturing sector. However, what helped overall numbers was the brisk traction in the first nine months of FY2019 along with a push by the government in infrastructure spend, affordable housing and irrigation projects, partial replacement demand and higher freight movement helped buffer the downturn.</p>
<p>The key beneficiaries from FY2019&rsquo;s CV sales were tipper trucks and ICVs, with both segments seeing strong demand from the construction and e-commerce sectors, respectively. With infrastructure projects on the upswing, the tipper segment remained buoyant throughout the year and grew in double digits. Along with the M&amp;HCV segments, SCVs too recorded good growth as a good monsoon, improved private consumption and strong support from replacement demand and continuous demand for higher mobility in rural areas drove demand.</p>
<p>According to CV industry leader Tata Motors, &ldquo;The market continues to exhibit subdued demand on the back of the lingering effects of a liquidity crisis, lag effect of the implementation of revised axle load norms, a slowing economy and weak IIP growth index. The base effect is also playing a role in the muted growth of the CV industry with regard to H2 FY 18. Demand for M&amp;HCV cargo trucks continues to be sluggish with the implementation of revised axle load norms. After the axle load norms implementation, the freight carrying capacity of M&amp;HCV parc has increased by 20 percent, but the freight growth has not been able to absorb this increased capacity, resulting in lower demand for new trucks. The slowing economy, coupled with purchase deferrals during election season, has also contributed to subdued demand for M&amp;HCV cargo trucks in recent months. However, the tipper segment, on the other hand, continued to grow, clocking 12 percent growth on the back of infrastructure development and affordable housing projects.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">How the OEMs fared in FY2019</span></strong><br>
Replicating FY2018&rsquo;s double-digit performance,<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"> Tata Motors</span> </strong>sold 468,692 units in FY2019, growing by a strong 17 percent YoY (FY2018: 3,99,317). Likewise, its M&amp;HCV sales grew by a solid 12 percent at 151,105 (FY2018: 134,399).</p>
<p>For Tata, its I&amp;LCV truck sales in the domestic market comprised 56,996 units, up a strong 23 percent (FY2018:46,321).&nbsp;This segment has not been &nbsp;impacted by the revised axle load norms, and the boom in the e-commerce segment and discretionary consumption also helped drive higher growth.&nbsp;The company&rsquo;s SCV cargo and pickup sales totaled 206,393 units, marking strong growth of 24 percent (FY2018: 166,727). And sales in the the commercial passenger carrier segment (buses) were up 4 percent to 54,198 units (FY2018: 51,870).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland</span></strong>, the second largest heavy truck maker and CV player in the country, had a remarkable year as it registered double-digit growth in FY2019 on the back on higher traction in its LCV business. The company sold 185,065 units in the domestic market (FY2018: 158,612 units). Its M&amp;HCVs notched 13 percent growth with sales of 131,936 units (FY2018:116,534) and likewise its LCVs clocked healthy 26 percent YoY growth with 53,123 units sold (FY2018: 42,078).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus</span></strong>&#39;&nbsp;overall CV sales were up 15 percent in FY2019 to 248,601 units (FY2018: 216,802). The company, which has a strong presence in the LCV segment, is pushing hard to get a significant share of the profitable M&amp;HCV segment with its Blazo and Furio range. In FY2019, the company has crossed the 10,000 units M&amp;HCV sales mark segment by selling 10,838 units, up 14 percent YOY.&nbsp; M&amp;M&rsquo;s typically strong area &ndash;the below-3.5T GVW and above-3.5T GVW segments &ndash; grew 9 and 14 percent respectively with sales of 199,574 and 7,744 units in FY2019.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>, another player driving hard to grab M&amp;HCV market share through its modern and varied range of Pro Series trucks in the haulage, tipper and tractor-trailer segments registered growth of 10.5 percent by selling 61,733 units (FY2018: 55,876).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Maruti Suzuki India</span></strong>, which has a single vehicle in the CV segment in the form of the Super Carry LCV, sold a total of 23,874 units in FY2019, which marks 138 percent YoY growth, albeit this is on a low year-ago base.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">SML Isuzu</span></strong>, which is in the LCV segment, sold 13,658 units in FY2019, up 20 percent on the numbers a year ago.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">FY2020 growth outlook</span></strong><br>
Ratings agency ICRA says the demand environment for commercial vehicles is likely to remain subdued in the near term, especially in the wake of upcoming general elections and a high year-ago base. However, likely pre-buying in early 2020 and a continued thrust on the infrastructure sector will drive recovery in the second half of FY2020.&nbsp;That would just what the CV OEMs will be hoping for, fingers firmly crossed.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/cv%20industry%20sales%20in%20fy2019.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 195px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/News/car-majors-report-low-singledigit-growth-in-fy2019-42566"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Car majors report low single-digit growth in FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[With cumulative sales of 1,001,623 units from six OEMs, India’s CV industry clocks best-ever fiscal sales and crosses the million-unit milestone for the first time.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e6e7348b-37f0-4a55-8981-0d1c8b3914af.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e6e7348b-37f0-4a55-8981-0d1c8b3914af.jpg&h=485&w=73542579https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-makers-record-doubledigit-growth--cross-million-sales-for-the-first-time-in-fy2019-42579
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-makers-record-doubledigit-growth--cross-million-sales-for-the-first-time-in-fy2019-42579Tue, 02 Apr 2019 15:43:00Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to invest over 1.8 billion euros in 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/58d9eefd-ac6b-435b-ac31-09bdd034f2f2.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Based on an impressive business year in 2018, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) is investing over 1.8 billion euros (Rs 13,759 crore) in the company and the future of the brand this year.</strong></p>
<p>The GRIP 2025+ transformation strategy involves new products, conversion of plants, and the development of new mobility services. According to Thomas Sedran, chairman of the Board for the VWCV brand, "We can shape the transformation at the peak of the industry, because we are financially strong and can exploit synergies within the Group. Our new strategy allows us to follow a clear plan and boost our speed significantly. We are developing from a pure carmaker to a mobility provider. To this end, we are investing more than 1.8 billion euros this year."</p>
<p>In business year 2018, VWCV achieved the second-best business performance in its history. Sales revenue of 11.9&nbsp;billion euros (Rs 90,963 crore) nearly reached the prior year level. Operating profit declined slightly to 780 million euros (Rs 5,962 crore) from 853 million euros (Rs 6,520 crore) in the prior year. Earnings were muted by higher outlays for new products, negative effects of currency exchange rate, and effects of the new WLTP test procedure. VWCV exceeded its prior year performance with around 500,000 vehicles delivered &ndash; a figure that underscores its position as a leading producer of light commercial vehicles in Europe.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">2019 looks to be a challenging year</span></strong><br />
In 2019, VWCV expects sales to reach at least the prior year level, but in a much more challenging environment. At the same time, 2019 will be a crucial year of transition for VWCV. The GRIP 2025+ strategy aims to offer answers to key challenges in the industry: climate protection, digitalisation, new mobility services and autonomous driving. At the same time, customised products for commercial customers and emotional vehicles for families and recreation will remain important core business areas for the brand. But they will be increasingly supplemented by innovative mobility and transport services.</p>
<p>In pursuit of this goal, Group-wide development for autonomous driving will be bundled in Hannover. Alexander Hitzinger, the brand&#39;s new Member of the Management Board for Development, has taken on this task for the entire Volkswagen Group. In building up new mobility services, VWCV is also utilising the know-how of MOIA. After successful testing in Hannover, the Volkswagen subsidiary is now launching operations in Hamburg with all-electric shuttle buses based on the Crafter.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The planned collaboration with its new alliance partner Ford also reinforces the competitive position of VWCV. The two manufacturers complement one another in their regional strengths and products. Initial contracts have been signed &ndash; including a &lsquo;development contract Pickup&rsquo; for the successor model of the Amarok. There are other potential areas of cooperation, e.g. in additional vehicle projects, autonomous driving or shared use of electric mobility platforms.</p>
<p>The most visible sign that VWCV is launching into the electric age is the ID. BUZZ which will be produced in Hannover starting in 2022. It is the all-electric version of the legendary T-Series. "The ID. BUZZ is certainly the most important product of the coming year," says Thomas Sedran. "At the same time, it is a symbol of the brand&#39;s future: zero emissions, extremely innovative and very emotional. The next generation Bulli will also come from our main plant.!"</p>
<p>Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) is an independent brand of the Volkswagen Group and is responsible globally for the development, construction and sales of light commercial vehicles, producing the Transporter, Caddy, Crafter and Amarok ranges. In 2018, the brand sold around 499,700 light commercial vehicles, which were produced at its sites in Hannover, Poznań, Września and Pacheco. VWCV employs over 24,000 people globally, of whom around 15,000 work at the Hannover site.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[New GRIP 2025+ strategy represents the most extensive transformation programme in the brand's history.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/58d9eefd-ac6b-435b-ac31-09bdd034f2f2.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/58d9eefd-ac6b-435b-ac31-09bdd034f2f2.jpg&h=485&w=73542525https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-commercial-vehicles-to-invest-over-18-billion-euros-in-2019-42525
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-commercial-vehicles-to-invest-over-18-billion-euros-in-2019-42525Thu, 28 Mar 2019 15:21:00Eberspaecher air-conditions e-buses from BYD and Golden Dragon for Israel's public transport systems<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/266e58ad-2f2b-45eb-a07e-d961d05ac5b8.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Thermal management specialist Eberspaecher Climate Control Systems Bus &amp; Coach has equipped more than 40 electric buses from Build Your Dreams (BYD) and Golden Dragon with its electric roof-mounted air-conditioning system AC 136 AE HP. The zero-emission vehicles will be used by Israeli transport companies in Tel Aviv, Haifa and, for the first time, in Jerusalem.</strong></p>
<p>The electrically driven air-conditioning solution has been specially tailored to the requirements of hybrid and electric buses. Thanks to its reversible refrigerant circuit, it combines cooling and heating functions in a single device &ndash; thus ensuring passengers enjoy the ideal temperature all year round. In addition, the system scores with one hundred percent fresh air supply.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/ESTR_AC_136_AE_HP.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 422px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Eberspaecher&#39;s electric roof-mounted air-conditioning system AC 136 AE HP has been specially tailored to the requirements of hybrid and electric buses.</em></p>
<p>&ldquo;Our high-performance electric air-conditioning systems contribute to a high level of passenger comfort and clean mobility in the public transport system,&rdquo; said Oliver Wels, General Manager Eberspaecher Climate Control Systems Bus &amp; Coach. Bus manufacturers additionally benefit from diagnostics-capable components, a brushless fan and the system&rsquo;s modular design, which enables quick and easy installation.&nbsp;<br>
&ldquo;Chinese manufacturers have an enormous share in the global electric bus market,&rdquo; said Wels when explaining the importance of the orders for Eberspaecher. &ldquo;Therefore, cooperation with BYD and Golden Dragon is a key step for us in further expanding our global presence in this market.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The majority of the more than 40 electric buses are operated by public transport companies in Israel&rsquo;s major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. In future, seven BYD vehicles will also be the first all-electric buses to be used in Jerusalem&rsquo;s public transport system.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Supplies high-performance, electric air-conditioning system AC 136 AE HP to leading electric bus makers for Israel’s public transport system]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/266e58ad-2f2b-45eb-a07e-d961d05ac5b8.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/266e58ad-2f2b-45eb-a07e-d961d05ac5b8.jpg&h=485&w=73542515https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/eberspaecher-airconditions-ebuses-from-byd-and-golden-dragon-for-israel-public-transport-systems-42515
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/eberspaecher-airconditions-ebuses-from-byd-and-golden-dragon-for-israel-public-transport-systems-42515Wed, 27 Mar 2019 21:42:00JCB breaks ground for new plant in Gujarat<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/95b24b1a-22f7-4ed2-bf13-8d6dd7054dde.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>JCB India has announced that it will invest Rs 650 crore in a new plant in India as the company prepares to celebrate 40 years of manufacturing in the country. The new factory located in Vadodara, Gujarat will manufacture parts for global production lines as the company prepares to meet increased demand.</strong></p>
<p>The company&#39;s chairman Lord Bamford laid the foundation stone for the new plant which will be JCB&rsquo;s sixth factory in India &ndash; a country which has been JCB&rsquo;s biggest single market since 2007.&nbsp; The announcement follows the start of work on a new &pound;50 million (Rs 454 crore) factory to build cabs for JCB machines in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, UK which is expected to be completed later this year.</p>
<p>JCB chairman, Lord Bamford said,&nbsp;&ldquo;With major investment in manufacturing capacity in the UK and India, we are very well placed to grow our business in the future. This year we celebrate 40 years of JCB India and our success over those four decades is down to our continual investment. It&rsquo;s fitting that we mark the40th anniversary with an investment in a factory which will give us enormous manufacturing capacity.&rdquo;</p>
<p>JCB India already has factories in Delhi, Pune and Jaipur. The production at the new facility at Halol-II, Vadodara site, which is spread across 44-acres will begin next year. It will house the most modern laser cutting, welding and machining technology and will be a fork-lift free operation. It will be capable of processing 85,000 tonnes of steel annually</p>
<p>Vipin Sondhi, MD and CEO, &nbsp;JCB India said,&nbsp;&ldquo;This new factory will be manufacturing engineered components and sub-assemblies for JCB&rsquo;s many factories around the globe. It will add to the capacity at our existing plants in India. Vadodara presents us with the advantage of being located close to the Surat port and also to our key suppliers.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jcb-india-partners-arvind-for-safetycompliant-industrial-wear-41675"><span style="color:#ff0000;">JCB India partners Arvind for safety-compliant industrial wear</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The company's new Rs 650 crore facility will be its sixth in the country.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/95b24b1a-22f7-4ed2-bf13-8d6dd7054dde.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/95b24b1a-22f7-4ed2-bf13-8d6dd7054dde.jpg&h=485&w=73542507https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jcb-breaks-ground-for-new-plant-in-gujarat-42507
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/jcb-breaks-ground-for-new-plant-in-gujarat-42507Wed, 27 Mar 2019 12:02:00Wuling launches three upgraded Hong Guang compact MPV models<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d4048e01-d97a-4bbe-b56d-dd25de2630ff.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>SAIC-GM-Wuling has launched three upgraded Wuling Hong Guang models: the Hong Guang V, Hong Guang S and Hong Guang S3. From commercial use to personal and family use, the trio aim to meet the diverse needs of customers across China for functionality, practicality and convenience.</strong></p>
<p>Positioned as a professional commercial carrier, the&nbsp;Hong Guang V&nbsp;addresses the demands of business users. The new model&#39;s interior, load capacity and durability have all been enhanced. Nineteen storage spaces maximize roominess and convenience.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/4%20%281%29.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 735px;" title=""></p>
<p>Its 2,850-mm wheelbase and detachable seats give the new Hong Guang V up to 4,300 liters of cargo space. The side middle door has a classic sliding design with a width of over 700 mm, making it convenient to load cargo and easy for passengers to get in and out.</p>
<p>The tailgate design has also factored in the needs of business users. The back door opens to a height of 1,824mm, making it easy to move large items. Meanwhile, the floor in the back is about 20 percent lower than the floor of its competitors, for the convenience of commercial customers.</p>
<p>The Hong Guang V was put through 40,000km of comprehensive road tests, which is equivalent to 160,000km of normal driving. It performed well in high and low temperature endurance testing, brake system durability testing and other specific tests. It has high corrosion resistance, having endured the equivalent of six years of enhanced corrosion road tests.</p>
<p>Although it is an MPV, the new&nbsp;Hong Guang S&nbsp;has adopted more SUV elements in line with the Hong Guang family&rsquo;s traditional advantages in space, power and fuel economy. It will meet the diverse demands of both commercial and family users.</p>
<p>Positioned as &#39;the upper-level Hong Guang S&#39;, &nbsp;the upgraded&nbsp;Hong Guang S3&nbsp;has more cargo space than an SUV, better driving dynamics than an MPV, greater comfort than a traditional commercial minivan and more practicality than a sedan.</p>
<p>It is the first mass-produced vehicle that is available with the Electronic Clutch Management (ECM) system which offers the best of both worlds of a manual and automatic transmission. The system has been put through extensive durability tests in Germany and 40,000km of durability tests in China to ensure it meets Wuling&rsquo;s high standards for safety, reliability and quality.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/3%20%281%29.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 409px;" title=""></p>
<p>The new&nbsp;Hong Guang V,&nbsp;Hong Guang S&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hong Guang S3&nbsp;are priced from 45,800 yuan (Rs 466,000 to 76,800 yuan (Rs 781,000).</p>
<p>In 2010, the Wuling Hong Guang opened the compact MPV segment in China. It has been the leader in the segment ever since, with a monthly sales record of more than 80,000 units. The Hong Guang nameplate is a mainstay in the line-up of SAIC-GM-Wuling, which is China&rsquo;s leading producer of mini-commercial vehicles.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[From commercial use to personal and family use, the trio aim to meet the diverse needs of customers across China for functionality, practicality and convenience.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d4048e01-d97a-4bbe-b56d-dd25de2630ff.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d4048e01-d97a-4bbe-b56d-dd25de2630ff.jpg&h=485&w=73542471https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wuling-launches-three-upgraded-hong-guang-compact-mpv-models-42471
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wuling-launches-three-upgraded-hong-guang-compact-mpv-models-42471Thu, 21 Mar 2019 09:18:00Continental to showcase two new exhaust solutions at Bauma 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7b7b6f2e-d5f4-443e-b1e5-8f8853266d9c.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>At Bauma 2019, the world&rsquo;s leading construction machinery trade fair, Continental will be presenting modular solutions designed to address future stricter nitrogen oxide</strong>&nbsp;<strong>(NOx)&nbsp;emissions standards for construction machinery. Development work will centre on strategies and products geared to maintaining an optimal exhaust system temperature across all engine operating conditions. It will be presented by the powertrain division of Continental.</strong></p>
<p>At the trade fair that is going to be held from April 8 to 14, the German technology company will include solutions that include compact, low-mass, modular metallic substrates, electrically heated catalysts and fuel injection into the exhaust stream close to the catalyst.</p>
<p>From the middle of the next decade, the focus of emissions regulations is expected to be extended to include construction machinery, as one of the contributors to urban nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The load collectives for construction machinery vary widely and are in some cases highly dynamic. Future development work to achieve efficient NOx conversion under all operating conditions will, therefore, focus on minimising the warm-up time after a cold start, and on consistently maintaining the necessary exhaust system operating temperature.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/201904-pp-continental-bauma-faltkatalysator-data.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>The new &lsquo;concertina-type folding technique&rsquo; makes it possible to implement asymmetrical catalyst dimensions closely adapted to the available packaging space.</em></p>
<p>Dr&nbsp;Manuel Presti, program manager, powertrain components, powertrain division, Continental said, &ldquo;Regulations already on the horizon for trucks will soon be followed by similar measures for non-road vehicles, including construction machinery. Here too NOx limits will be tightened, so the engine warm-up phase will be key to compliance. At Bauma, we will be demonstrating how our products can help solve the challenges facing construction machinery. Continental is already working with manufacturers on strategies to meet the stricter NOx standards of the future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>When it comes to NOx emissions, regulations have so far paid little attention to urban construction sites. However, in just a few years&rsquo; time, much stricter nitrogen oxide limits are expected for road-going commercial vehicles such as trucks, and experience has shown that similar measures for non-road vehicles will soon follow. The cold-start phase will be particularly critical when meeting these requirements, given that the exhaust systems of construction machines such as crawler vehicles or diggers, for example, are relatively long, which means they have a high thermal mass and are subject to higher heat losses.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/201904-pp-continental-bauma-udp-ehc-dieselinjektion-data.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Injection of fuel: This is a very efficient method because the heat is directed only where it is really needed.</em></p>
<p>Presti further explains, &ldquo;The challenge is to ensure that the exhaust system is heated as quickly as possible to a temperature where NOx conversion can start. Close-coupled mounting of the catalysts (oxidation catalyst and SCR catalyst) is a good strategy for ensuring that waste engine heat reaches the catalyst components as quickly as possible.&nbsp; For the same basic engine, the catalysts used must be easily adaptable to a wide range of construction machines.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Asymmetrical catalyst for reduced precious metals</span></strong></p>
<p>Continental&rsquo;s new &lsquo;concertina-type folding technique&rsquo; for metallic substrates makes it possible to implement asymmetrical catalyst dimensions that are more closely adapted to the available packaging space. Using the slanted metallic CS substrate (CS = crossversal structure), which dispenses with a smooth intermediate layer, it is also possible to achieve an approximately 20 percent&nbsp;reduction in mass. At the same time, the turbulence-generating CS foil structure improves the efficiency of the catalysts, with benefits particularly in terms of reducing the amount of costly precious metal that needs to be used in the substrate. &ldquo;Substrate geometries that allow close-coupled mounting of the catalyst is a powerful design tool for customers,&rdquo; says Presti.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/201904-pp-continental-bauma-cs-foilstructure-data.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>The turbulence-generating CS foil structure improves the efficiency of the catalysts.</em></p>
<p>By developing heat quickly, electrically heated catalyst elements can serve a &lsquo;stopgap&rsquo; function until other heating measures come on stream. These electric heating substrates can either be mounted as diesel oxidation catalyst or can be integrated in the SCR catalyst. A further intelligent solution would be to inject fuel into a mixing pipe, with subsequent catalytic conversion into heat immediately upstream of the catalyst. &ldquo;This is a very efficient method because the heat is directed only where it is really needed, rather than simultaneously heating the entire thermal mass of the exhaust system,&rdquo; Presti adds. Continental consfirms that these two strategies &ndash; electric heating and fuel injection &ndash; can also be used in combination.</p>
<![CDATA[Continental to showcase new exhaust aftertreatment for construction machinery at Bauma 2019. Could meet future stricter NOx emissions standards.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Technologyhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7b7b6f2e-d5f4-443e-b1e5-8f8853266d9c.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7b7b6f2e-d5f4-443e-b1e5-8f8853266d9c.jpg&h=485&w=73542442https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/continental-to-showcase-two-new-exhaust-solutions-at-bauma-2019-42442
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/continental-to-showcase-two-new-exhaust-solutions-at-bauma-2019-42442Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:05:00Daimler Trucks Asia opens new Fuso product and design centre in Japan<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cac7f8cb-a404-4811-a561-feb3c1b10a11.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a bid to freshen the Fuso brand, through its Japan-based subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck &amp; Bus Corporation (MFTBC), Daimler Trucks officially opened the new Product Center building and Design Center at the Kawasaki Plant (K1) today.</strong></p>
<p>The new building encompasses the corporate headquarters, R&amp;D and design functions of the company, and is part of a large-scale modernisation at MFTBC. Daimler Trucks has invested approximately 74&nbsp;million (Rs 576 crore) since 2017 into this building, known as Campus Plus. The new building offers a modern working environment on 10,000&nbsp;square metres and is also home of the new, state-of-the-art Design Center.</p>
<p>Within the new product center is the new Fuso Design Center, one of the most advanced Design Centers within Daimler&nbsp;AG. About 50 experts in design, digital design and engineering work on the major task to define a common design strategy for all future Fuso vehicles &ndash; called the Fuso Code. The team currently is active on the next Canter and eCanter generation. Another objective is to work on the specific challenges of an e-truck.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Fuso brand is an essential and successful member of Daimler Trucks. In 2018, it contributed about one-third of total sales and plays a vital role when it comes to future topics such as electric driving. The new Product Center and Design Center in the Kawasaki Plant manifests that we are continuously investing in the future of FUSO and Japan,&rdquo; said Martin Daum, board member of Daimler&nbsp;AG responsible for Trucks &amp; Buses, on the occasion of the opening in Kawasaki.</p>
<p>On the occasion of this event, Daimler Trucks Asia announced that &ndash; additionally &ndash; up to&nbsp;40&nbsp;million euros (Rs 311 crore) will be invested in 2019 in the Fuso retail network. This investment kicks off a seven-year initiative called Project Mirai (Japanese for &lsquo;Future&rsquo;). The company has set the goal to improve its owned retail and service network within the domestic market in order to tackle future topics of the commercial vehicle sector. Within this year, seven outlets across Japan, from Hokkaido to Tokyo to Kyushu, are set to be refurbished in order to assist electric and connected commercial vehicles more efficiently from a service perspective.</p>
<p>Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Trucks Asia: &ldquo;The Mirai Project underlines our commitment to being number&nbsp;one in customer service in the Japanese commercial vehicles industry. With upgraded facilities, we will be able to offer faster, better service to our customers across Japan.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[New Fuso Design Centre has 50 experts in design, digital design and engineering working to define a common design strategy for all future Fuso vehicles – called the Fuso Code.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cac7f8cb-a404-4811-a561-feb3c1b10a11.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cac7f8cb-a404-4811-a561-feb3c1b10a11.jpg&h=485&w=73542436https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-asia-opens-new-fuso-product-and-design-centre-in-japan-42436
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-asia-opens-new-fuso-product-and-design-centre-in-japan-42436Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:56:00Volkswagen sells 35,500 CVs in February 2019, strongest in Western Europe<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/838e2c6f-0fe0-42c3-9cb1-c31ceafa3f21.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) has revealed that in the first two months of 2019, it sold 75,500 vehicles worldwide. Correspondingly, in the month of February 2019, it sold 35,500 vehicles worldwide, an increase of 12.2 percent.</strong></p>
<p>Of the 35,500 vehicles, 23,800 vehicles are said to have been delivered to customers in Western Europe (+14.5%). Consequently, 9,700 commercial vehicles were delivered to the German domestic market.</p>
<p>Speaking about the first two months of the year, Volkswagen claims that it delivered 8,900 vehicles more than in the same period last year, indicating a growth of 13.4 percent. The company has observed that the largest sales region was Western Europe where it registered 50,600 vehicles (+19.8%). The strong delivery volumes in Europe were largely driven by 5 core markets -</p>
<ul>
<li>Germany: 19,700 units (+26.6%)</li>
<li>UK: 4,700 units (+5.3%)</li>
<li>Spain: 3,100 units (+6.8%)</li>
<li>France: 2,600 units (+6.2%)</li>
<li>Italy: 2,000 units (+8.1%)</li>
</ul>
<p>In Eastern Europe, they delivered 7,700 vehicles (+38.8%) in the same two months of 2019.</p>
<p>In Mexico and the South American markets, 7,700 vehicles were delivered, 1,200 fewer than in the same period of the previous year (-13.6%). Volkswagen has confirmed that the delivery volume in Africa almost doubled as compared with the previous year&rsquo;s two months with 4,100 vehicles (+46.4%). Deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region fell by 10.9 percent to 3,000 vehicles. In the Middle East, the collapsed market in Turkey again had a major impact on the brand&rsquo;s sales. With 1,800 vehicle deliveries, VW&rsquo;s delivery volume in the Middle East almost halved (-43.4%).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Going by the brand&nbsp;</span></strong><br />
T series and Crafter were the highest selling brands for Volkswagen Commercial vehicles with 27,800 units (+37.9%) and 10,000 units (+46.9%) respectively. Caddy and Amarok saw a decline in the same two months with 25,000 units (-5.4%) and 12,200 units (-4.4%)</p>
<![CDATA[Volkswagen sells 75,500 commercial vehicles in January-February 2019. Highest figures came from Western Europe and the best-selling brand is the T series.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/838e2c6f-0fe0-42c3-9cb1-c31ceafa3f21.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/838e2c6f-0fe0-42c3-9cb1-c31ceafa3f21.jpg&h=485&w=73542404https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-sells-35-500-cvs-in-february-2019--strongest-in-western-europe-42404
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-sells-35-500-cvs-in-february-2019--strongest-in-western-europe-42404Thu, 14 Mar 2019 18:06:00Daimler Buses India sales cross 2,000 units for the first time in 2018<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/78460b69-5fa5-4e4f-8578-b0be98d1f965.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler Buses India, a unit of Daimler Buses under the umbrella of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), has had a successful 2018. In India, sales of buses, luxury coaches and chassis grew by more than 70 percent to 1,555 units (2017: 906 units), while exports saw an increase of more than 50 percent to 616 units (2017: 405 units).</strong></p>
<p>For 2019, Daimler Buses India expects to achieve further significant growth, driven both by domestic and exports business. Commenting on the numbers in 2018, Thomas Fricke, managing director, Daimler Buses India, said: &ldquo;2018 was another very successful year for Daimler Buses India. Within three years after our market launch, we have grown to become the fifth-largest individual market for Daimler Buses on the global scale. We remain committed to continue our sustainable growth.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>In 2019, Daimler Buses India is focusing on the preparations to upgrade its entire portfolio to the BS-VI standard, including BharatBenz 9-tonne buses in the school, staff and tourist bus sub segments, Mercedes-Benz&nbsp; 15-meter multi-axle luxury coaches and bus chassis for the 9, 16 and&nbsp; 24-tonne segments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;BS-VI is an excellent opportunity for us to further lead the shift in India&rsquo;s bus market towards global standards. Our aim is clear: we want to offer the best BS-VI product package available in the Indian market,&rdquo; Mr. Fricke added.</p>
<p>Exports of Daimler Buses India, which include bus chassis for the 9- and 16-tonne segments, have reached a cumulative volume of more than 1,200 units already since the start of the business. Today, 13 markets in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and South East Asia are being served with high-quality bus chassis made by Daimler Buses in India, and further export projects with additional growth potentials are underway.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sells-over-500-000-trucks-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-for-daimler-india-cv-41730"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Daimler Trucks sells over 500,000 trucks in 2018, double-digit growth for Daimler India CV &nbsp;</span></a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Full-year domestic sales up by 72% to 1,555 buses, luxury coaches and bus chassis; exports up by 50% to 616 units.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/78460b69-5fa5-4e4f-8578-b0be98d1f965.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/78460b69-5fa5-4e4f-8578-b0be98d1f965.jpg&h=485&w=73542376https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-buses-india-sales-cross 2-000-units for-the-first-time-in-2018-42376
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-buses-india-sales-cross 2-000-units for-the-first-time-in-2018-42376Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:22:00Tata Motors CV business gets orders for over 2,500 units<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2ec18250-987e-4cc6-8277-8064170b035b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Domestic CV major, Tata Motors today announced that it has got orders for over 2,500 units from institutional customers. </strong></p>
<p>The company says it recently got an order for 1,045 buses from Gujarat State Roadways Transport Corporation (GSRTC) and 1,000 Winger ambulances from National Health Mission (NRHM), Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal and Haryana.</p>
<p>The OEM says it has bagged 65 percent of the orders for fully built buses to provide passenger comfort and convenience. The CV maker says the order includes&nbsp;Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC) on 400 buses for maintenance of ITS systems as value added services to customers.</p>
<p>Commenting on the order, Girish Wagh, president- CVBU, Tata Motors, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;The demand for public transportation is rapidly increasing in India with the government&rsquo;s thrust towards providing smart, safe and convenient mode of commute to the citizens.&rdquo;</p>
<p>At present, Tata Motors says it offers a comprehensive range of buses catering to an entire gamut of day-to-day travelling needs - from luxurious intercity travel options, to safe transport and driver-friendly products. The company&#39;s portfolio consists of a range of solutions powered by alternate fuels such as hybrid, electric, CNG, LNG and articulated buses to meet the future transportation needs of the envisaged &#39;Smart Cities&rsquo;,&nbsp; aimed at reducing pollution and promoting an eco-friendly transport system in the country</p>
<![CDATA[The OEM says it has bagged 65 percent of the orders for fully built buses to provide passenger comfort and convenience and offers.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2ec18250-987e-4cc6-8277-8064170b035b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2ec18250-987e-4cc6-8277-8064170b035b.jpg&h=485&w=73542362https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-cv-business-gets-orders-for-over-2-500-units-42362
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-cv-business-gets-orders-for-over-2-500-units-42362Mon, 11 Mar 2019 16:14:00Dana buys stake in CV electrification company Hyliion<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fabdabe7-81bc-4f34-a91d-8252c5fda04b.png&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Dana has entered into a strategic partnership with US-based class 8 electrification company Hyliion, that will see it buying an equity position as a lead investor in the company.&nbsp;Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies, will become a member of Hyliion&#39;s board of directors.</strong></p>
<p>Dana says the investment is another step in a cadence of strategic transactions to position itself as the leader in e-propulsion system.&nbsp;As part of the agreement, Dana will become Hyliion&#39;s source for traditional driveline components, as well as fully integrated e-axles &ndash; which include motors, inverters, controls, gearboxes, and thermal-management technologies.</p>
<p>Hyliion, founded in 2015, develops intelligent, electric-hybrid architectures for class 8 vehicles that can be installed on new trucks or retrofitted on existing trucks, essentially turning a traditional 6x2 truck into a 6x4 hybrid.&nbsp; Hyliion&#39;s 6X4HE features the company&#39;s proprietary machine learning algorithms and battery technology to optimise fuel savings and vehicle performance for reduced emissions and a better driver experience.</p>
<p>"Dana&#39;s investment in Hyliion continues to expand our growth and leadership in electrification across all vehicle segments and partners us with a front-runner in the hybridisation of class 8 vehicles for fleets ready to adopt electrified vehicles today," Wallace said. &nbsp;"Together with Hyliion, we have a unique opportunity to develop long-haul solutions that revolutionise power conveyance and support fleets in meeting their efficiency goals, while simultaneously advancing decarbonisation efforts."</p>
<p>With this investment Dana says it has strengthened its position to supply customers with complete hybrid systems through Hyliion&#39;s intelligent electric-hybrid controls, proprietary battery technology, and integration capabilities, along with its own offering of &mdash; Spicer&nbsp;electrified e-axles; TM4&nbsp;motors, inverters, and power electronics; Long&nbsp;thermal-management solutions; auxiliary system motors through Dana&#39;s acquisition of SME Group; and traditional Spicer&nbsp;axles and driveshafts.</p>
<p>Thomas Healy, CEO, Hyliion, said: "Dana&#39;s wealth of knowledge and extensive strategic experience in the commercial-vehicle market creates a dynamic combination for our class 8 hybrid platform. We are excited to be joining forces to offer a go-to-market solution for fleets seeking e-propulsion technologies available today in the class 8 segment."</p>
<![CDATA[Dana says the investment is another step in a cadence of strategic transactions to position itself as the leader in e-propulsion system.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fabdabe7-81bc-4f34-a91d-8252c5fda04b.png&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fabdabe7-81bc-4f34-a91d-8252c5fda04b.png&h=485&w=73542361https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-buys-stake-in-cv-electrification-company-hyliion-42361
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-buys-stake-in-cv-electrification-company-hyliion-42361Mon, 11 Mar 2019 15:29:00Ashok Leyland bags Gujarat Roadways’ order for 1,290 Buses<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/af307fcf-b844-42b0-9fc3-df779a1d0203.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok Leyland has bagged an order from GSRTC (Gujarat State Roadways Corporation) for 1,290 buses. This order comes close on the back of 2580 bus orders received from various state transport undertakings recently.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Speaking about the latest order, Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland, said, &ldquo;We are very happy to receive the confirmation of this order from GSRTC. Our ability to bring value, combined with our superior technology and innovation will help us maintain our leadership position in buses in India.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Sanjay Saraswat, senior vice-president, Global Buses, Ashok Leyland, said. &ldquo;With this order, our order book for State Transport Undertakings is upwards of 3,000 buses. This is a testament to the reliability, durability and robustness of our buses. The cost of ownership and the product experience which we can deliver is the best in the industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Ashok Leyland is currently the fourth largest manufacturer of buses in the world and India&rsquo;s largest bus manufacturer.</p>
<![CDATA[New order comes close on the back of new business for 2,580 buses received from various STUs recently. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/af307fcf-b844-42b0-9fc3-df779a1d0203.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/af307fcf-b844-42b0-9fc3-df779a1d0203.jpg&h=485&w=73542349https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-bags-gujarat-roadways’-order-for-1-290-buses-42349
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-bags-gujarat-roadways’-order-for-1-290-buses-42349Fri, 08 Mar 2019 12:56:00Tata Motors races to tap booming e-commerce market, holds roadshow in Mumbai<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35175161-f056-4990-b6b8-b1b47a8964a0.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-targets-booming-ecommerce-sector-with-its-new-range-of-trucks-41836"><span style="color:#ff0000;">A month-and-a-half after it showcased a varied range of&nbsp;13 fully built, ready-to-use vehicles in Gurgaon</span></a>, to meet the requirements&nbsp;of the fast-growing e-commerce industry, Tata Motors today exhibited the range in Mumbai.</strong></p>
<p>Held for the first time in western India (e-Commerce Expo 2019, MMRDA Grounds, BKC, March 6-8), the company says the 13 vehicles &ndash; across the SCV, ILCV and M&amp;HCV segments &ndash; are fully built solutions exclusively developed to meet every single application, cutting across hub-to-hub-to-spoke transportation and the end-to-end delivery requirements.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tata Motors says it has developed these fully built ready-to-use solutions after extensively researching the exacting requirements of the e-commerce industry, engaging with the top e-commerce companies and their vendors and incorporating their requirements in the design and features as desired by them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Girish Wagh, President &ndash; CVBU, Tata Motors&nbsp;said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Fueled by rising incomes, increasing government support, and a surge in the internet users, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow to US$ 200 billion by 2026 from US$ 38.5 billion in 2017. Today, companies are also increasing their distribution centers and their fleet size to cater to the growing demands of the consumers. We believe the e-Commerce Expo 2019 will act as a platform to address the growing demands of the transporters and e-commerce players and provide them with diverse range of fully-built products with customized features. Through our product offerings, we are shifting the paradigm for new age products and smart solutions.&rdquo;</p>
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<p>Tata Motors says it has a 63% market share in Maharashtra in the last-mile distribution space with its Ace small CV range. At the Mumbai expo, the company has exhibited the Ace Delivery Van&nbsp;for&nbsp;e-commerce goods, Ace Zip panel van&nbsp;for e-commerce packages&nbsp;and&nbsp;Super Ace Mint XPS&nbsp;for heavy goods transportation. The vehicles come with customised payloads and deck lengths to carry light goods like white goods to heavier loads like fruits, vegetables and auto parts.&nbsp;The insulated construction of the container in&nbsp;the Super Ace Mint XPS&nbsp;allows for the temperature-controlled transportation of perishable&nbsp;goods like milk/ milk products/ fruits and vegetables/ meat.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In FY2019 YTD, Tata Motors has clocked a robust growth of&nbsp;21 percent on a YoY basis in the SCV Cargo and pick-up segment on the back of the launch of the Ace Gold, Yodha, XL Series in the Ace, Mega and Zip ranges.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/_DSC4735.JPG&h=485&w=735" title=""></p>
<p><strong>Growing ILCV market</strong><br>
For hub-to-spoke transportation requirements, the company displayed a range of Light and Intermediate commercial vehicles on the modern newly launched series of Ultra trucks. The Ultra range, powered by the high-performance Turbotronn engine, has helped Tata Motors&rsquo; ILCV segment record a volume&nbsp;growth by 23.5% in FY2019 YTD in Maharashtra.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>On show on the Ultra platform are 24 FT MS Container on Ultra 1518/53, 20 FT MS Container on Ultra 1014/45, 20 FT MS Reefer On Ultra 1014/45, 3 Side Openable - MS Container On Ultra 1518/53, 22 FT MS Container on LPT 1412/48 and 14 Ft MS Container on ULTRA T.7.&nbsp;The Ultra range caters to the e-commerce, industrial goods, auto component, FMCG, agri products, beverages, pharma and white goods industries.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/_DSC4767.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 489px;" title="">On the M&amp;HCV front, Tata Motors has displayed customised trucks with special advanced features. The&nbsp;24 Ft refrigerated container on LPT 1613/52&nbsp;and&nbsp;32 Ft Refrigerated Container on LPT 2518/68&nbsp;cater to cold chain supplies like frozen foods, ice cream, dairy products, fruits and vegetables and pharma.</p>
<p>The&nbsp;31 Ft MS Container on Signa 2818/68&nbsp;AMT&nbsp;vehicle combines the benefits of a ready-to-use truck equipped with advanced safety, security and surveillance features (like Anti Fuel Theft, Digital Locks, Reverse Parking and In-Container cameras, Load Sensors, Door Opening sensors) and&nbsp; Automated Manual Transmission&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hill Start Aid. The&nbsp;32 Ft MS Container on LPT 1618/68 Turbotronn&nbsp;powered by the Tata 5.0L 4 Cylinder Turbotronn engine&nbsp;is designed for excellent benefits on both revenue and TCO aspects. These are suitable for transporting various goods like long haul e-commerce shipments, auto parts, tyres, agri products, white goods, FMCG, parcels and courier.</p>
<p>In Maharashtra, Tata Motors currently has 24 dealerships along with branches of the existing dealers, over 200 sales and service touch-points covering 155 3S service set-ups, 1S sales set-ups, 95 TASSes and contained workshops.</p>
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<![CDATA[Showcases 13 fully built applications, customised for the e-commerce industry, across the small CV, intermediate LCV and M&HCV segments.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35175161-f056-4990-b6b8-b1b47a8964a0.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35175161-f056-4990-b6b8-b1b47a8964a0.JPG&h=485&w=73542320https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-races-to-tap-booming-ecommerce-market--holds-roadshow-in-mumbai-42320
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-races-to-tap-booming-ecommerce-market--holds-roadshow-in-mumbai-42320Wed, 06 Mar 2019 15:09:00Scania India appoints Petr Novotny as its managing director<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/324c5da7-a99d-44e0-af72-bafdd61e380f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Scania India Commercial Vehicles has announced Petr Novotny as the new managing director for its India operations.</strong></p>
<p>Petr Novotny born in Czechoslovakia, who has been with the Scania Group for over 11 years, working in various international locations, has held key positions in the sales organisations, financial services, including further responsibilities in information systems, human resources, network development and purchasing verticals across various markets.</p>
<p>At Scania India, Novotny will be responsible to drive the growth strategy for Scania India, to bring strategic direction, a new vision and mission.</p>
<p>Speaking on his new role, Petr Novotny&nbsp;said, &ldquo;I am excited to lead the India business for Scania at a time when the industry is undergoing a tremendous transformation. India is a significant market for us in terms of growth, and we are committed to bringing world-class sustainable products and solutions to further fuel the automotive industry. I look forward to working closely with the teams and industry partners to drive growth for Scania India and the automotive industry in the region.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Petr is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant from ACCA and is also a Certified Internal Auditor from the Institute of Internal Auditors, Florida, USA. Apart from this Petr has completed his MSc and BSc in Economics from the University of Economics, Prague; a Business Administration degree from Aberystwyth University, Wales; and Executive Training Program from Stockholm School of Economics.</p>
<p>Prior to working with Scania, Petr has worked with Philip Morris International, Coca-Cola and Deloitte in various leadership capacities bringing about a decade&rsquo;s experience to lead the Scania Group in India.</p>
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<![CDATA[Novotny will be responsible to drive the growth strategy for Scania India.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/324c5da7-a99d-44e0-af72-bafdd61e380f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/324c5da7-a99d-44e0-af72-bafdd61e380f.jpg&h=485&w=73542317https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/scania-india-appoints-petr-novotny-as-its-managing-director-42317
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/scania-india-appoints-petr-novotny-as-its-managing-director-42317Wed, 06 Mar 2019 13:50:00Daimler India CV begins deliveries of new axle load norm-upgraded trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6367cadc-d727-47ae-ac55-79be80594580.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), which manufactures the&nbsp;BharatBenz brand of trucks and buses, has handed over the first trucks&nbsp; upgraded to meet the new axle load regulations. The milestone was celebrated at customer events in Chennai and Jaipur. </strong></p>
<p>The OEM says the first two upgraded BharatBenz models &ndash; a 55-tonne tractor and a 28-tonne rigid truck &ndash; are now commercially available at its dealerships across India. In addition, DICV says it will also upgrade its entire portfolio to meet the new axle load regulations in a staggered approach.</p>
<p>Rajaram Krishnamurthy, vice-president, Marketing and Sales, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said: &ldquo;At BharatBenz, we are proud to be the first in our industry to hand over a 55-tonne truck with best-in-class GVW. Rajasthan is India&rsquo;s largest tractor-trailer market, so we see great potential for this powerful workhorse. Our 28-tonne rigid is our second new model under the new axle load norms; we will upgrade all our truck models step by step.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Bharat Benz 5528T tractor succeeds the popular BharatBenz 4928T tractor, which the company says offers an additional permissible capacity of 6 tonnes under the new axle load regulations. With a best-in-class GWV (gross vehicle weight) of 55 tonnes, it is targeted at applications like cement bags, bulkers, steel coils, tankers and other heavy load transportation.</p>
<p>The BharatBenz 2823R rigid truck is targeted at long-haulage and comes with two loading span options (24ft, 32ft), catering to a wide range of applications like parcel and logistics, petroleum tanker, auto components, or fisheries.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv%E2%80%99s-100vehicle-service-bay-facility-opens-in-dharuhera-41106"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Daimler India CV&#39;s 100-vehicle service bay facility opens in Dharuhera</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sells-over-500-000-trucks-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-for-daimler-india-cv-41730"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Daimler Trucks sells over 500,000 trucks in 2018, double-digit growth for Daimler India CV</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-crosses-100-000-unit-production-milestone-40629"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Daimler India CV crosses 100,000 unit production milestone</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/-bharatbenz-india-underestimated-28823"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Interview with Marc Llistosella: &lsquo;Both BharatBenz and India have been underestimated.&rsquo;</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[The first two upgraded BharatBenz models – a 55-tonne tractor and a 28-tonne rigid truck – is now commercially available.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6367cadc-d727-47ae-ac55-79be80594580.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6367cadc-d727-47ae-ac55-79be80594580.jpg&h=485&w=73542307https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-begins-deliveries-of-new-axle-load-normupgraded-trucks-42307
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-begins-deliveries-of-new-axle-load-normupgraded-trucks-42307Tue, 05 Mar 2019 17:42:00Olectra-BYD rolls out its 100th electric bus in India<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3a56b082-321b-4495-8049-dc4275a4ac0d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Olectra-BYD formerly (Goldstone Infratech) today claimed that it has became the first EV company in the country to cross the milestone of having over 100 electric buses commercially plying successfully on Indian roads.</strong></p>
<p>The company says at present it has 108 electric buses plying in the country in Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Pune, Kerala and Telangana, which have clocked close to 600,000km&nbsp;that translates to the reduction of CO2 emissions up to 630 tonnes or equivalent to 3,143 trees required to handle that much of carbon emission.</p>
<p>With the company inducting 40 electric buses of 12-meter length, Olectra says it has enabled Telangana State Road Transport (TSRTC) to deploy the largest fleet of electric buses by any state transport unit in the country. This it says is also for the first time in the country that an electric bus of 12-meter length has been deployed commercially for public transport service. These buses were launched from the Miyapur Depot in the presence of Sunil Sharma, principal secretary for Transport, Roads &amp; Buildings and MD, TSRTC; Liu Xueliang, MD, BYD India and BYD Asia Pacific; NK Rawal, MD, Olectra; Ketsu Zhang, executive director, BYD and N Nagasatyam, executive director, Olectra India amongst other senior officials from TSRTC, Olectra -BYD.</p>
<p>Commenting on the announcement, Rawal&nbsp;said, &ldquo;Olectra-BYD has been in the forefront of the sustainable mobility revolution. This milestone of crossing over 100 Electric Buses in the country is a tremendously significant development. &rdquo;</p>
<p>The company says the 40 electric buses in Telangana will ferry passengers to Hyderabad International Airport from various locations in the city, with an average of 10 trips (one side) being made at the points daily, and ferry around 470,000 passengers on monthly basis. In addition to these, 25 Olectra eBuzz K7 (9-meter) buses have also started commercial operations in Pune as well last month.</p>
<p>&ldquo;BYD is committed globally to promote electric vehicles to address environment concerns. We are happy to see government of India rolling out FAME II to encourage electric mobility in India. BYD&rsquo;s advanced technology in battery, electric motor and electric control &ndash; the three core components to any electric vehicle &ndash; and its reach and successful operation experience in 50 countries and regions and over 300 global cities, has proven the electric public transportation solution is ideal for India,&rdquo; commented Xueliang.</p>
<p>The OEM says the department of Heavy Industries, government of India has sanctioned incentives for roll out of these 40 electric buses by TSRTC under FAME scheme. Only last week, the&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/fame-india-phase-ii-outlay-of-rs-10-000-crore-gets-government-approval-42247"><span style="color:#0000ff;">government announced FAME II scheme with an allocation of Rs 10,000 crore to incentivise the adoption of EVs in the country including 7,000 electric buses over three years.</span></a></strong> It will give a much-needed boost to the ecosystem and enable more STUs to deploy eBuses in their fleet.</p>
<p>Wake Hirotoshi, senior advisor, BYD Japan, said, &ldquo;Adherence to quality is utmost importance to ensure the superior offering that deliver on all parameters of performance. We are bringing BYD&rsquo;s global quality standards to Olectra."</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectra-greentech-launches-first-locally-manufactured-luxury-ebus-40568"><span style="color:#0000ff;">FAME India Phase II outlay of Rs 10,000 crore gets government approval</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[The company says at present it has 108 electric buses plying in the country in Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Pune, Kerala and Telangana, which have clocked close to 600,000km.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3a56b082-321b-4495-8049-dc4275a4ac0d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3a56b082-321b-4495-8049-dc4275a4ac0d.jpg&h=485&w=73542305https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectrabyd-rolls-out-its-100th-electric-bus-in-india-42305
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectrabyd-rolls-out-its-100th-electric-bus-in-india-42305Tue, 05 Mar 2019 17:11:00Daimler Buses sells 30,888 units in 2018, India a key growth driver<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/bd26b53a-f7a1-4270-bf5c-e6888dbab2f4.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler Buses has reported global sales of 30,888 buses and chassis in calendar year 2018, up 7.71 percent year on year (2017: &nbsp;28,676). The sustained high demand for complete buses, the slowly recovering Brazilian economy and growth in India were major contributors to this great sales success. </strong></p>
<p>The Daimler Buses division was thus able to maintain its position as market leader in the most important core markets EU30 (EU, Switzerland and Norway), Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Return on sales was 5.9&nbsp;percent (compared with 6.2&nbsp;percent in the prior year) and was therefore in line with targets.</p>
<p>Based on the continued favourable market conditions, Daimler Buses expects a major sales increase in 2019. In Europe and India in particular, the Buses division anticipates positive sales development. For the current business year the business unit is aiming for a return on sales between 5 and 7&nbsp;percent.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/19C0154_001.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 458px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Till Oberwörder:&nbsp;"At Daimler Buses we&#39;re very pleased with the 2018 business year. We&#39;ve significantly increased our worldwide sales."</em></p>
<p>Commenting on the CY2018 sales, Till Oberwörder, Head of Daimler Buses &amp; Chairman of the Board of Management at EvoBus GmbH, said: "At Daimler Buses we&#39;re very pleased with the 2018 business year. We&#39;ve significantly increased our worldwide sales. With the market launch of our fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro, new digital services and our new-generation minibus, we have also taken some important steps toward the future. It was an incredible performance by our international bus team! We have also set some ambitious targets for the coming year and intend to continue growing &ndash; not just in our established markets but especially in the world&#39;s new growth regions."</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Focus on three strategic operating fields</span></strong><br>
In order to achieve its aims, Daimler Buses is concentrating on three strategic operating fields: global market presence, technology leadership and business excellence. With the help of strategic partnerships the business unit aims to ensure the generation of additional expertise in new technologies and services.</p>
<p>As a market leader in our major core markets, Daimler Buses says it continuously develops its classic product portfolio and thus strengthens what has traditionally been&nbsp;its core business. The new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, for example, forms the basis for a completely new generation of the successful Mercedes-Benz minibuses.</p>
<p>With products adapted to meet local requirements, an efficient production network and customer-oriented sales and service offerings, Daimler Buses continues to tap into&nbsp;growth potential in promising markets like North Africa, the Near and Middle East, south-east Asia and India.</p>
<p>The Buses division benefits from the Regional Centres it established in 2015 that are located in close proximity to customers in these regions: In 2018 Daimler Buses was able to increase sales in these emerging regions by around 37 percent to nearly 7,000 units. With the Chennai plant (India) as its base, the business unit intends to gain greater market share in India with its BharatBenz brand while, at the same time, strengthening the plant as an export hub. An efficient production network ensures the Bus division remains flexible in deciding whether new export markets should be served from India, Brazil or Europe.</p>
<p>With the launch last year of the fully electric&nbsp;Mercedes-Benz eCitaro, Daimler Buses has been able to offer a locally emission-free urban bus for environmentally-friendly public transport in cities and urban areas. The battery-electric eCitaro is series-ready. As of a few weeks ago the first vehicles are already in service as part of the public transport systems in Hamburg and Heidelberg. The bus plant in Mannheim is ready to begin deliveries.</p>
<p>As the development of battery technology is progressing at a rapid pace, the eCitaro is already designed to be transitioned to the battery technology of the future. As of 2020 the future use of solid-state batteries will be an option. The next generation of lithium-ion batteries will soon follow. Furthermore, as of 2022 the eCitaro&rsquo;s range will be increased yet again by a range extender in the form of a fuel cell for generating electricity.</p>
<p>In the coming months, Daimler Buses will be expanding this portfolio and has a five-percent share in IVU &ndash; one of the leading companies in the creation of business management software for public transport operations.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Targeting sustainable, profitable growth</span></strong><br>
In order to create the basis for&nbsp;sustainable, profitable growth, Daimler Buses says it is continuously developing its worldwide production network. To this end the Buses division bundles its competence in development and production such as, for example, the safety technologies and assistance systems at the Neu-Ulm location and the series production of electric buses in the Mannheim plant. As announced in 2017, by 2020 about 140&nbsp;million euros will be invested in production locations and about 200&nbsp;million euros in new technologies.</p>
<p>In addition to the systematic cooperation with other Daimler business units, in the future Daimler Buses will increasingly count on strategic collaboration with partners to generate new perspectives and additional expertise in technologies and services. Collaboration will allow the Buses division to tailor its products even more closely to the needs of new markets and customers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sells-over-500-000-trucks-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-for-daimler-india-cv-41730"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Daimler Trucks sells over 500,000 trucks in 2018, double-digit growth for Daimler India CV </span></a></strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sells-over-500-000-trucks-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-for-daimler-india-cv-41730">&nbsp;</a></p>
<p><strong>HOW DAIMLER BUSES&#39; GLOBAL SALES STACK UP IN CY2018</strong><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/2018%20sales.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 565px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Sustained high demand for complete buses, the slowly recovering Brazilian economy and growth in India were major contributors to the 7.71 percent YoY growth.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/bd26b53a-f7a1-4270-bf5c-e6888dbab2f4.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/bd26b53a-f7a1-4270-bf5c-e6888dbab2f4.jpg&h=485&w=73542278https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-buses-sells-30-888-units-in-2018--india-a-key-growth-driver-42278
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-buses-sells-30-888-units-in-2018--india-a-key-growth-driver-42278Mon, 04 Mar 2019 11:01:00Slower M&HCV offtake a drag on overall CV sales in February <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cace1e64-4720-404e-b9a0-1dc69d30284f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>After cruising along at a handsome 25 percent year-on-year growth rate for the first nine months of FY2019, despite headwinds such as shortage of finances due to the crisis in the NBFCs and new axle loads norm implementation, sales in India&#39;s commercial vehicle market have slowed down and how. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Now, growth has moderated considerably as demand for medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&amp;HCVs) slowed down in January and in February. Nevertheless, due to continued construction and infrastructure activities, the tipper truck segment has posted double-digit growth. All CV OEMs have registered negative sales in M&amp;HCVs while LCV sales are growing in higher single digits. &nbsp;</p>
<p>While there is no clear cause of this sudden drop in demand for M&amp;HCVs, factors like slowing down of the overall&nbsp;economic activity, high interest rates, and the prevailing effect of implementation of revised axle load norms, slowing industrial output and declining IIP growth index are certainly dampening buyer sentiment. Also, the statistics office yesterday said economic growth for the third quarter ended December 2018 slowed to 6.6 percent, the lowest in six quarters. These numbers are slightly lower than market expectations.</p>
<p>According to Tata Motors, &ldquo;After the axle load norms implementation, the freight carrying capacity of the M&amp;HCV parc has increased by 20 percent, but the freight growth has not been able to absorb this increased capacity resulting in lower demand for new trucks.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Anuj Kathuria, President, Global Trucks, Ashok Leyland,&nbsp;speaking to&nbsp;<em>Autocar Professional</em>,&nbsp;said, &ldquo;While the sales of M&amp;HCV has come down in the last two months, but given the strong performance in the first half of this year, the industry would likely to register a growth of 12-15 percent in FY2019. This growth is reasonable considering last year&rsquo;s high base.&rdquo;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">How the OEMs fared in February</span></strong><br>
Market leader <strong><span style="color:#ff3300;">Tata Motors</span></strong>&#39; overall sales are down 5 percent with sales of 39,111 units in February 2019 (February 2018: 41,222). After January&#39;s single-digit drop, the M&amp;HCV truck segment has come under pressure declining by 18 percent in the month to 12,437 units (February 2018:15,241). The&nbsp;ILCVs&nbsp;are up by a marginal 4 percent, selling 4,810 units. The cargo SCVs and pickups registered a growth of 9 percent to 17,417 units, while the commercial passenger carrier (bus) segment saw sales of 4,240 units (-18%) as the segment has been impacted due to the slowdown in the procurement of buses by STUs and the permits for private hiring.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland</span></strong> registered flat growth in the month with sale of 18,245 units (February 2018: 18,181).&nbsp;The M&amp;HCVs remains sluggish by de-growing marginal 3 percent with a total sale of 13,291 units, while the LCVs maintained double-digit growth of 11 percent YoY growth at 4,455 units sold (February 2018: 4,954).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></strong>&#39;s overall CV sales were up by 1 percent to 21,154 units (February 2018: 20,946). Like other manufacturers, its M&amp;HCV sales are down by 17 percent with 821 units sold. The below-3.5T GVW segment was up by just 2 percent YoY, selling 19,647 units (February 2018: 19,225), while those in the above-3.5T GVW segment declined by by 8 percent to 821 units (February 2018: 893).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>&#39; sales declined by 8 percent in the month, the company selling 5,337 units in the domestic market (February 2018: 5,783 units).</p>
<p><strong>Also read:<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/carmakers%E2%80%99-february-sales-impacted-by-weak-market-sentiment-42271"><span style="color:#00923E;">&nbsp;</span><span style="color:#ff0000;">Carmakers&rsquo; February sales impacted by weak market sentiment</span></a></strong></p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/CV%20sales.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 203px;" title=""></p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[All CV OEMs have registered negative sales in M&HCVs while LCV sales are growing in higher single digits. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cace1e64-4720-404e-b9a0-1dc69d30284f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cace1e64-4720-404e-b9a0-1dc69d30284f.jpg&h=485&w=73542274https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/slower-m&hcv offtake-a-drag-on-overall-cv-sales-in-february-42274
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/slower-m&hcv offtake-a-drag-on-overall-cv-sales-in-february-42274Sat, 02 Mar 2019 08:34:00Mahindra sells 18,105 tractors in February 2019, down 7%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1b5db2d6-143d-484b-8eed-68fc0f66a50b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra&rsquo; Farm Equipment Sector (FES), a part of the USD 20.7 billion Mahindra Group, today announced that in February 2019 its domestic sales in February 2019 were at 18,105 units, as against 19,442 units during February 2018.</strong></p>
<p>Total tractor sales (domestic + exports) during February 2019 were at 18,978 units, as against 20,658 units for the same period last year, down by 8 percent. Exports for the month stood at 873 units, a YoY decline of 28 percent (1,216 units in February 2018).</p>
<p>In the period from April 2018 to February 2019 (YTD for FY2019), Mahindra sold 298,296 tractors, an increase of 8 percent against the same period in FY2018. The exports in the same period saw a decline of 13 percent with 12,452 units (14,282 units in Apr-Feb FY2018). All the export figures also include&nbsp;Completely Knocked Down (CKD) units.</p>
<p>Commenting on the month&rsquo;s performance, Rajesh Jejurikar, president - Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;We have sold 18,105 tractors in the domestic market during February 2019. The tractor industry has remained subdued in February. However, it is expected that positive sentiments associated with the recently executed direct beneficiary transfers to marginal farmers and other pro-rural initiatives by the government, will help create momentum for tractor sales in the near term. In the exports market, we sold 873 tractors.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Mahindra%20FES%20Feb%202019%20sales.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 1077px; height: 297px;" title=""></p>
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<![CDATA[Mahindra & Mahindra’ overall sales including the domestic and the international market is down by 8 percent.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1b5db2d6-143d-484b-8eed-68fc0f66a50b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1b5db2d6-143d-484b-8eed-68fc0f66a50b.jpg&h=485&w=73542259https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-sells-18-105-tractors-in-february-2019--down-7-42259
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-sells-18-105-tractors-in-february-2019--down-7-42259Fri, 01 Mar 2019 14:33:00Escorts sells 7,240 tractors in February 2019, up 12%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b7ec05a0-ac4d-4536-b507-f0c63226fd29.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Escorts Agri Machinery segment (EAM</strong><strong>),</strong><strong> the Faridabad-based farm mechanisation company has sold 7,240 tractors in February 2019, up by 12 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> over February 2018 (6,462 tractors). A part of the Escorts group, EAM has registered a YoY growth of 23.1 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> in the YTD period of FY2019.</strong></p>
<p>In the domestic market, EAM sold 6,918 tractors, registering a growth of 9.9 percent as against 6,295 tractors in February 2018. The company has claimed that its export figures also saw a growth with 322 tractors. Thus, registering a growth of 92.8 percent as against 167 tractors in February 2018.</p>
<p>Speaking of the year to date (YTD &ndash; April 2018to February 2019) of FY2019, Escorts has reported a growth of 23.1 percent with the total sales (domestic and exports) amounting to 84,507 units. In the same period, Escorts Agri Machinery exported 2,615 (50.5%) units and 81,892 (22.4%) units in the domestic markets.</p>
<p><img alt="Escorts tractors February 2019" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Escorts%20February%202019.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 1251px; height: 275px;" title="Escorts tractors February 2019"></p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<![CDATA[Escorts Agri Machinery, the tractor segment of the Escorts group has registered robust sales in the domestic and international markets.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b7ec05a0-ac4d-4536-b507-f0c63226fd29.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b7ec05a0-ac4d-4536-b507-f0c63226fd29.jpg&h=485&w=73542253https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/escorts-sells-7-240-tractors-in-february-2019--up-12-42253
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/escorts-sells-7-240-tractors-in-february-2019--up-12-42253Fri, 01 Mar 2019 11:58:00Daimler Buses invests in digital mobility, acquires stake in IVU Traffic Technologies<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e68c24d5-45ec-4e60-8fcd-0f4056bcf600.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>Martin Muller Elschner, CEO of IVU Technologies, Matthias Rust, CTO of IVU Technologies, Till Oberworder, head of Daimler Buses and chief executive of Evobus, Gustav Tuschen, head of product engineering Daimler Buses.</em></p>
<p><strong>Daimler Buses is investing in digital mobility and acquiring a 5.25&nbsp;</strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> stake in Berlin-based IVU Traffic Technologies. The seller of the equity stake is the charitable foundation Gerlind &amp; Ernst Denert-Stiftung established by IVU&rsquo;s previous CEO, Prof. Ernst Denert. The transaction also involves a strategic partnership between IVU and Daimler Buses to offer integrated mobility solutions for the public transport of tomorrow.</strong></p>
<p>Considering the fact that public transport is undergoing a radical transformation, Daimler Buses has identified three issues that will have a significant impact on the transport transformation: increasing connectivity, electric mobility and digital mobility services. The partners want to work together to develop innovative, integrated solutions that go far beyond the vehicle itself and the traditional IT transport system.</p>
<p>Martin Müller-Elschner, CEO of IVU Traffic Technologies said, &ldquo;Our IVU.suite standard solution is one of the leading systems for resource planning and fleet management, and is already paving the way extensively for the public transport of tomorrow. Through the strategic partnership with Daimler Buses, we are building synergies for technological development and strengthening our international market presence.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Till Oberworder, head of Daimler Buses and chief executive of EvoBus, adds: &ldquo;Electro mobility is changing particularly the conditions for all market participants. As a leading manufacturer, we are already advising our costumers today on how to make the most of our buses and especially our electric buses. Through the cooperation with IVU, we are positioning ourselves even stronger as an integrated system provider for public transport.&rdquo;</p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<![CDATA[The transaction also involves a strategic partnership between IVU and Daimler Buses to offer integrated mobility solutions for the public transport of tomorrow.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e68c24d5-45ec-4e60-8fcd-0f4056bcf600.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e68c24d5-45ec-4e60-8fcd-0f4056bcf600.jpg&h=485&w=73542235https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-buses-invests-in-digital-mobility--acquires-stake-in-ivu-traffic-technologies-42235
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-buses-invests-in-digital-mobility--acquires-stake-in-ivu-traffic-technologies-42235Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:57:00Scania begins new assembly plant in Thailand<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/63244a20-9fbf-433c-b767-c1d29c21b787.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Scania&rsquo;s new assembly facility for trucks and bus chassis will come up in the Bangkok Free Trade Zone in Thailand. The new factory is said to be the biggest investment in production that Scania has made outside Europe and Latin America.</strong></p>
<p>Scania Group Thailand is a fully cross-functional set-up and includes employees from Scania&acute;s Production and Logistics, R&amp;D, Purchasing as well as Sales and Marketing organisations. The facility covers a surface of 33,900 square metres and the total investment in the factory is THB 800 million (EUR 23 million).</p>
<p>Scania&rsquo;s vision for Asia is to strengthen its business in the region.The new factory in the Bangkok Free Trade Zone is a cornerstone of these regional expansion plans.</p>
<p>&ldquo;With this new industrial establishment and with local suppliers, we can now build Scania trucks and buses according to global specifications, with Thai origin. It gives us completely new prerequisites for our growth in the ASEAN Free Trade Area,&rdquo; says Gustaf Sundell, managing director for Scania Group Thailand.</p>
<p>&ldquo;By increasing our local presence, we are now able to quickly respond to customers&rsquo; demands, and make sure that we provide the best transport solution for each customer,&rdquo; he continues.</p>
<p>In addition to the new facility, Scania has established a regional headquarters in Thailand to support Scania&rsquo;s distributors throughout Asia and Oceania in developing business in their markets.</p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<![CDATA[Said to be the biggest investment in production outside Europe and Latin America, Scania has established a regional headquarters in Thailand to support its distributors throughout Asia and Oceania.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/63244a20-9fbf-433c-b767-c1d29c21b787.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/63244a20-9fbf-433c-b767-c1d29c21b787.jpg&h=485&w=73542221https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/scania-begins-new-assembly-plant-in-thailand-42221
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/scania-begins-new-assembly-plant-in-thailand-42221Wed, 27 Feb 2019 15:36:00Knorr-Bremse to supply EBS to Chinese bus maker<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6fe70e7d-efbe-48d4-b85c-c06a247688e7.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking systems and commercial vehicle subsystems, is engaged in closer cooperation with one of the world&#39;s leading bus manufacturers in China.&nbsp;The recently signed supply contract governs the Electronic Brake System (EBS) customized for the manufacturer buses. The specific Chinese bus maker, however, has not been named.</strong></p>
<p>"Based on their complementary advantages, Knorr-Bremse and one of the world&#39;s leading bus manufacturers want to cooperate more extensively on the introduction and establishment of new-energy buses and the development of vehicle dynamics intelligence as well as relevant cutting-edge technology," said Dr&nbsp;Peter Laier, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Systems division.&nbsp;</p>
<p>According to the company, the 8-12-metre electric buses equipped with Knorr-Bremse EBS for China&#39;s national public transportation system have proved a complete success.&nbsp;The cooperation will therefore be extended to all of the manufacturer&#39;s other electric bus models.</p>
<p>Safety, high efficiency and energy-saving have been the essential requirements for operations and vehicles in China&#39;s domestic bus system in recent years.&nbsp;The leading bus manufacturer has been promoting the improved performance of buses, and electric buses in particular.&nbsp;In this context, Knorr-Bremse has become the preferred partner by virtue of its advantages in the field of electronic products search as EBS.<br>
<br>
BaoPing Xu, Member of the Board of Directors of Knorr-Bremse Asia-Pacific Holding in charge of the Commercial Vehicle Systems business, added: "As well as supporting the safety, intelligence and energy efficiency of commercial vehicles in China, Knorr-Bremse intends to continue to support China&#39;s bus industry and provide customers with pioneering products, services and technical solutions on a high level. "<br>
<br>
Back in 2009, Europe saw a shift from electronic to pneumatic anti-lock braking to electronic EBS.&nbsp;EBS integrates the basic functions of braking control, ABS and ASR into a single electronic system. The advantages of electronic control over conventional pneumatic control include shorter response times and shorter braking distances - resulting in greater road safety.&nbsp;EBS delivers additional functions including wear monitoring, downhill cruise control and clutching force control (CFC).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Knorr-Bremse offers EBS and CFC for all types of vehicles, including trailers.</p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<![CDATA[Knorr-Bremse Electronic Brake System to be installed as standard on all new electric buses. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6fe70e7d-efbe-48d4-b85c-c06a247688e7.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6fe70e7d-efbe-48d4-b85c-c06a247688e7.jpg&h=485&w=73542204https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/knorrbremse-to-supply-ebs-to-chinese-bus-maker-42204
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/knorrbremse-to-supply-ebs-to-chinese-bus-maker-42204Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:33:00Ola's electrified fleet second largest globally: ICCT<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ca07de0b-6343-4d2a-b6ca-ba2b34c82245.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>According to a report by ICCT (The International Council on Clean Transportation) on five of the world&rsquo;s largest ride-hailing companies (Didi Chuxing (Didi), Grab, Lyft, Ola and Uber), electric vehicle use in company fleets ranges from several hundred to a few hundred thousand with Didi leading the pack with more than 260,000 EVs in operation at the end of 2017. The report reveals that Didi has around 1.3 percent of vehicles in its fleet electrified, followed by Ola with 0.6 percent and Uber, Grab and Lyft each having a 0.2 percent share. Uber and Ola are said to have about 2,500 to 5,000 EVs in their fleet.</strong></p>
<p>In the report, the cumulative global EV sales through 2017 was about 3.2 million units. Didi accounted for around 8 percent of global purchase of electric vehicles through 2017. Didi&rsquo;s fleet of more than 260,000 EVs through 2017 is 21 percent of China&rsquo;s cumulative 120,000 over that same period.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/number%20of%20electric%20vehicles.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Estimated number of electric vehicles in ride-hailing operations</em></p>
<p>Uber and Lyft launched their core services in 2012 and at the end of 2017 about 1 percent of Uber and Lyft vehicles &ndash; approximately 3,000 &ndash; were electric. The all-electric ride-hailing company CaoCao in China has about 16,000 EVs in its fleet as of mid-2018. Even though its fleet size is just 1 percent of that of Lyft, it has about 5 to 20 times more EVs in service than Lyft. Several taxi fleets around the world have partially or fully transitioned to the green vehicles; examples include Amsterdam&rsquo;s Schiphol Airport fleet, London&rsquo;s Black Cabs, Shenzhen&rsquo;s local taxi fleet, Téo Taxi in Montréal, and others in Berlin, New York, Paris, and Washington&nbsp;DC.</p>
<p>On assessing these companies&rsquo; future aspirations, some companies have region-specific targets whereas others have overall fleet goals. Some companies have set near-term targets for 2019 while others have longer-term targets for 2025 and beyond; and some companies seek to electrify a specific number of vehicles, a percentage of the fleet, or a number of trips.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/d9594f85-1f8e-462e-9f71-e56b551075e2.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Didi Chuxing&#39; (Didi) fleet of cars in China</em></p>
<p>Didi is targetting 1 million EVs in its fleets by 2020 and 10 million by 2028. This is said to be approximately aligned with China&rsquo;s new energy vehicle goal of 20 percent new vehicles to be electric by 2025. Uber had announced that 10 percent of its Oregon fleet will be electric by 2019 and more than half of its fleets in the United Kingdom will be electric.&nbsp;It also aims for 5 million electric rides by 2019 in North America. Ola aims to add 10,000 electric rickshaws by April 2019 and targets 1 million electric vehicles on its platform by 2021. While Grab will add 200 EVs in Singapore by 2019, Lyft has envisioned 1 billion annual rides in electric autonomous vehicles.</p>
<p>ICCT assumes a modest simple growth rate of 10 percent per year for future years for the overall company fleets. It has been projected by Bloomberg new energy finance (BNEF) that EVs will represent 11 percent of new global light duty vehicle sales in 2025 and 28 percent in 2030.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/goals.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p>Each of the five companies have at least one partnership with an OEM to supply EVs&nbsp;to its drivers. These programs typically mean that drivers have access to EVs via short-term lease agreements at lower costs than would otherwise be offered in the absence of a partnership. Didi has partnered with dozens of vehicle manufacturers such as Geely, SAIC, Renault, Nissan-Mitsubishi, Toyota, Volkswagen and others to supply low-cost purpose-built electric vehicles for its operations in China. Mahindra has tied up with Uber and Ola in India while Ola has partnerships with Tata, Kinetic, BYD and TVS too. Hyundai and Kia is preferred by Grab and General Motors&rsquo;s ride sharing spinoff Maven Gig is preferred for Uber and Lyft.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/industry%20partnerships.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p>Infrastructure-wise, Didi has a JV to construct Didi-branded charging stations for its fleet. Although charging dynamics and options vary by city, many drivers can choose to use Didi-branded chargers, public chargers, or home chargers. Ola has a similar but smaller program to increase charging stations for its drivers in India. Uber is working to increase charging infrastructure availability in London; the company has partnered with multiple charging providers to increase driver-partner access to home chargers and public rapid chargers, and it is using Uber trip data to learn about driver charging patterns and behaviour.</p>
<p>The Maven Gig partnership with EVgo, although not specific to Uber or Lyft, allows participating Uber and Lyft electric vehicle drivers to use dedicated EVgo stations in several US markets for free for a limited time. Grab has partnered with Singapore electricity provider SP Group to make DC fast and regular charge points available to drivers and the company is analysing driver patterns to improve charger access, utilisation, and inform future installations at optimal locations such as coffee shops and food outlets.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/0_485_735_0_70_http___www_autocarpro_in_userfiles__IMG_743_68743_web-charging-station-5.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 368px;" title=""></p>
<p>Some of these companies have also devised driver training programmes. Ola&rsquo;s pilot project in Nagpur includes training and education to help drivers understand vehicle maintenance, refuelling, and in-car technology. As part of Uber&rsquo;s &#39;EV Champions&#39; initiative in North America, it provides online EV resources in some local markets.</p>
<p>Some ride-hailing companies have also developed in-app features to facilitate electric ride-hailing on their platforms. Uber, for example, introduced long trip notifications to provide drivers information on distances for trip requests to help EV drivers avoid running out of charge during rides. Electric Uber drivers also can request to be matched with passengers traveling to destinations near available charging stations, thus minimising additional travel needs to reach a charger. Lyft is piloting an in-app option for passengers to choose a green option (hybrid or electric vehicle). Didi&rsquo;s driver app shows nearby available charging stations, thereby providing a one-stop-shop for driving and charging.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/markets.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p>Some of these companies have conducted some sort of EV pilot or research. In May 2017, Ola began testing 200 electric vehicles in Nagpur, India, to identify challenges and opportunities to grow its electric vehicle fleet. Didi has multiple research laboratories in China and expanded to California in March 2017, opening Didi Labs to develop advanced transportation technologies including electric and autonomous vehicles.</p>
<p>Grab launched a fleet of 30 BYD electric taxis in Singapore in 2014 and expanded the program in February 2017 by adding 100 BYD e6 vehicles. Uber conducted a 6-month trial in London in August 2016 to study the challenges of electric ride-hailing and better understand opportunities for the wider adoption of electric vehicles.</p>
<p><img alt="Grab ride sharing fleet backed by Toyota" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Grab.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Grab ride sharing fleet backed by Toyota"></p>
<p><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-invests-usd1-billion-grab-looks-advance-mobility-service-strategy-29911"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>Toyota invests $1 billion in Grab</em></span></a></p>
<p>Ola, which primarily operates in India had approximately 1 billion trips per year in 2018, 2.7 million trips per day, 125 million users, 1 million drivers and around 900,000 vehicles. Didi, the segment leader, had 7.4 billion trips per year in 2017, 25 million trips per day, 450 million users and 21 million drivers. Uber, with the highest market valuation of $72 billion (Rs 512,460 crore) and operational in more than 600 cities across North America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America had completed around 4 billion trips, with 15 million trips per day, 75 million users and 3 million drivers.</p>
<p><em>Data and Infographics: ICCT</em></p>
<p><em>The assessment from ICCT is based on the limited publicly available information found in company releases, announcements, blogs, publications, interviews and media stories. </em></p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ola-plots-million-evs-indian-roads-2021-29079"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ola plots a million EVs on Indian roads by 2021</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/uber-aims-to-fully-electrify-its-fleet-in-london-by-2025-41163"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Uber aims to fully electrify its fleet in London by 2025</span></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a></p>
<![CDATA[The study on electric vehicle adoption by ride hailing companies shows the aspiration of these companies in their transition to complete electrification of their fleets.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ca07de0b-6343-4d2a-b6ca-ba2b34c82245.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ca07de0b-6343-4d2a-b6ca-ba2b34c82245.jpg&h=485&w=73542181https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/ola-electrified-fleet-second-largest-globally-icct-42181
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/ola-electrified-fleet-second-largest-globally-icct-42181Fri, 22 Feb 2019 16:33:00Traton sells 233,000 vehicles in 2018, up 14 percent<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/447a9afb-9a8d-49a3-aaac-42cc5e876c91.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Traton has maintained its growth path in 2018. The Group sold 233,000 vehicles of the MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus brands, exceeding the prior-year figure by 14%. This is the highest number since the Group was established in 2015.</strong></p>
<p>This positive development was driven partly by continuing robust growth in Europe and sharply rising demand in Brazil. Growth was very dynamic in the first six months of 2018, but weakened slightly in the second half the year, coming in at 10% in the fourth quarter of 2018. &ldquo;We fully achieved our growth targets,&rdquo; said Andreas Renschler, Traton CEO and member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG. &ldquo;This success was driven by outstanding products, good customer proximity, a strong team, and a continued stable and attractive market overall.&rdquo;</p>
<p>All three brands contributed to the third consecutive vehicle sales record, after 2016 and 2017: At 102,560, MAN registered the most vehicle deliveries, selling significantly more vehicles (+14%) than in the previous year. Scania delivered 96,480 trucks and buses (+6%). Demand for vehicles of Volkswagen&nbsp;Caminhões&nbsp;e&nbsp;Ônibus (VWCO) increased considerably against the background of the economic upswing in Brazil, advancing by some 40% to 36,360 units.</p>
<p>While deliveries of trucks from Traton brands climbed by 10% to 202,490, demand for buses grew by an even more substantial 18% to 22,630 units. Strong impetus for the bus business came particularly from South America and Africa.</p>
<p>In view of the high unit sales figures, Renschler said: &ldquo;Here we are also benefiting from a good balance between our regional alignment and the strength of our core markets.&rdquo; Thus TRATON remains the leading truck supplier in the EU28+2 region (EU, Norway, and Switzerland). Supported by another slight improvement in the European commercial vehicles market in 2018, the Group raised year-on-year unit sales in this region by about 9% to 116,690 trucks.</p>
<p>Traton also remains the clear leader in the Brazilian truck market. As Brazil is the region&rsquo;s biggest market and the most important single market for VWCO, the country&rsquo;s economic recovery is having an especially positive effect. The Traton brands delivered a total of 40,450 trucks in the South America region, representing a sharp increase of about 37% compared to a weak 2017.<br>
<br>
<strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Flat sales in Africa, degrowth in APAC and Middle East</span></strong><br>
Vehicle sales in Africa remained on a level with the previous year at 7,590 trucks.&nbsp;The number of vehicles sold in the Asia/Pacific region declined by about 9% to 13,600 trucks. Vehicle sales in the Middle East region fell by about 27% against the prior year to 6,910 trucks due in part to weaker demand in Turkey.</p>
<p>Against the background of the ongoing economic recovery in Russia, deliveries in that country increased by about 15% to 12,480 trucks.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We want to be a global champion in our industry,&rdquo; remarked Andreas Renschler. &ldquo;Our steady growth in the past three years proves that: We are on the right track.&rdquo;</p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<![CDATA[Demand driven partly by continuing robust growth in Europe and sharply rising demand in Brazil; flat sales in Africa, de-growth in APAC and Middle East]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/447a9afb-9a8d-49a3-aaac-42cc5e876c91.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/447a9afb-9a8d-49a3-aaac-42cc5e876c91.jpg&h=485&w=73542159https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/traton-sells-233-000-vehicles-in-2018--up-14-percent-42159
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/traton-sells-233-000-vehicles-in-2018--up-14-percent-42159Thu, 21 Feb 2019 11:08:00Tata Motors to supply 80 electric buses to West Bengal Transport Corporation<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1fa54e0c-7e17-4c93-9222-40c4e4d45dad.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors has announced the supply of 80 electric buses&nbsp;to the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC). The company has already supplied&nbsp;20 Ultra Electric 9/9m AC E-buses,&nbsp;with 20 more to be delivered by March 31, 2019. The company will also be supplying&nbsp;40 9/12m AC&nbsp;E-buses to WBTC in a phased manner.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, flagged off the buses with dignitaries from WBTC and Tata Motors.&nbsp;The new buses will begin their inaugural journey from&nbsp;Nabanna, Howrah.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Honourable%20CM%20Smt_%20Mamta%20Banerjee%20flags%20off%20the%201st%20Electric%20Bus%20by%20Tata%20Motors%20in%20Kolkata.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Chief minister Mamta Banerjee flags off Tata Motors&#39; first electric bus&nbsp;in Kolkata.</em></p>
<p>Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Srivastava, Product Line Head &ndash; Passenger Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;With growing environmental concerns, the electric bus is definitely a symbol of future mobility.&nbsp;Tata Motors has always been at the forefront of the E-mobility evolution and this order is a testament of our best-in-class solution tailored for the bus segment in India. The order is part of the 255 e-buses to be supplied to six STUs in the country, of which WBTC is one.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Manufactured at Tata Motors Dharwad plant, the Ultra Electric buses will have a traveling range of up to 150 kilometres on a single charge. The company has installed charging stations at Nonapukur, Kasba, Newtown and Belghoria. Furthermore, intermediate charging terminals powered with fast charging are mounted at Howrah and Santragachi. The&nbsp;Li-ion batteries have been placed on the rooftop to prevent breakdown due to waterlogging.&nbsp;The batteries are liquid cooled to maintain the temperature within an optimum range and ensure longer life along with better performance in tropical conditions.</p>
<p>Dr. A.K. Jindal, Head Engineering (Electric &amp; Defence), CVBU, Tata Motors said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Tata Motors has been engaging in advanced engineering and development of electric traction system for Hybrid as well as Pure Electric vehicles for over a decade. The Ultra Electric Bus is a new modular platform, which has been developed in a very short lead-time of less than a year, leveraging the knowledge and experience we have gained and demonstrating our commitment to the Government of India&rsquo;s National Electric Mobility Mission Plan for Public Transport. The architecture of the platform has been conceived and developed by the in-house engineering team of Tata Motors, meeting the requirement of various tenders floated by different state transport undertakings. The exterior has been designed with new brand identity that includes stylized Ultra headlamps and streamlined looks. The vehicle architecture ensures very low energy consumption and low TCO (total cost of operation) apart from being a Zero Emission environment friendly bus.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#00923E;">Ultra electric buses&nbsp;</span></strong><br>
The Ultra electric buses, powered by an Integrated Electric Motor Generator, are built on existing proven platforms of&nbsp;Starbus and Ultra.&nbsp;With a max power of 245KW and continuous power of 145KW, the buses have a seating capacity of 31 people and a driver.</p>
<p>The buses will help in zero tailpipe emissions, 50% lower fuel costs, 20% better energy consumption and lower maintenance downtime as compared to diesel buses. The Ultra Electric buses are air-conditioned, have modern interiors and comfortable seats for 31 passengers.</p>
<p>As an industry first, there will be air suspension for both front and rear axles to make travel more comfortable for the commuters. Integrated electric motor generator&nbsp;with a peak power of 333hp can deliver 197hp continuously ensuring effortless driving in congested roads and frequent start stops needing no shifting of gears.</p>
<p>According to Narayan Swaroop Nigam, managing director,&nbsp;West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC), &ldquo;As one of the most densely populated cities in the country, Kolkata is a challenge for us. However with our strong commitment to transform Kolkata as one of the smartest cities in the world, public transport has always been a key focus area of our government. The state-of-the-art Ultra 9m AC Electric buses by Tata Motors are a big step towards achieving better public transport, with a clear emphasis on providing sustainable, affordable and safe mobility solutions for the masses. These E-buses will soon ply on the roads of West Bengal, from Howrah to Jadavpur, Garia to Airport, Behala to Rajarhat and Esplanade to Santragachi. We look forward to strengthening this association with Tata Motors to bring smart city solutions for a greener and cleaner Kolkata.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The critical electrical traction components have been sourced from internationally known best-in-class&nbsp;suppliers in USA, Germany and China offering proven products.&nbsp;The buses have been tested and validated by Tata Motors across states including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra to establish performance in diverse terrains.</p>
<p>The company has tenders to supply 255 electric buses to six public transport undertakings including WBTC (West Bengal), LCTSL (Lucknow), AICTSL (Indore), ASTC (Guwahati), J&amp;KSRTC (Jammu) and JCTSL (Jaipur). In addition to this, the company is also working on developing its electric mini-bus segment in the near future.</p>
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.co.in/aptic2019/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.autocarpro.in/http://www.haymarketsac.com/aci/aci_5-2-19/AP-Conclave-970x250.jpg"></a>
<![CDATA[While 20 Ultra Electric 9/9m AC E-buses have already been delivered, 20 more will be by March 31, followed by 40 9/12m AC E-buses in a phased manner.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1fa54e0c-7e17-4c93-9222-40c4e4d45dad.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1fa54e0c-7e17-4c93-9222-40c4e4d45dad.JPG&h=485&w=73542154https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-supply-80-electric-buses-to-west-bengal-transport-corporation-42154
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-supply-80-electric-buses-to-west-bengal-transport-corporation-42154Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:36:00Ford confirms exit from heavy truck business in South America<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/02d0cb0f-58e2-468e-9b5b-21809a7dfe9d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>As part of a comprehensive redesign of its global business, Ford Motor Company has announced it will exit the commercial heavy truck business in South America. As a result, the company will cease production at the São Bernardo do Campo plant in Brazil during 2019, ending sales of the Cargo lineup, F-4000 and F-350 &ndash; along with the Fiesta small car &ndash; once inventories are sold.</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20F-350.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 657px;" title=""></strong></p>
<p><em>Ford&#39;s F-350 Super Duty XL.</em></p>
<p>&ldquo;Ford is committed to the South American region by building a sustainable and profitable business with strengthened product offerings, outstanding customer experience, and a leaner more agile business model,&rdquo; said Lyle Watters, president, Ford of South America.</p>
<p>The decision to exit the heavy commercial trucks business came after months of pursuing viable alternatives, including possible partnerships and a sale of the operation. The business would have required significant capital investments to meet market needs and increasing regulatory costs with no viable path to profitability.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We know this action will have a major impact on our employees in São Bernardo and we will be working closely with all our stakeholders on the next steps,&rdquo; Watters said. &ldquo;Working closely with our dealers and suppliers, Ford will continue to provide support for our customers with warranty, parts and service.&rdquo;</p>
<p>This decision follows other recent initiatives in the on-going redesign of the South American region including:</p>
<p>- Reducing salaried and administrative costs region-wide by more than 20 percent over the past few months</p>
<p>- Strengthening portfolio with SUVs and pickups that are growing in popularity with consumers while ceasing Focus production in Argentina</p>
<p>- Leveraging global partnerships, such as the recently announced alliance with VW to develop mid-size pickup trucks</p>
<p>In connection with this announcement, the company expects to record pre-tax special item charges of about $460 million. The charges will include approximately $100 million of non-cash charges for accelerated depreciation and amortization. The remaining charges of about $360 million will be paid in cash and are primarily attributable to separation and termination payments for employees, dealers, and suppliers. Most of these pre-tax special item charges and cash outflows will be recorded in 2019 and are part of the $11 billion in EBIT charges with cash-related effects of $7 billion the company expects to take in the redesign of its global business.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Key step toward returning its South America operations to sustainable profitability; production will cease at the São Bernardo do Campo plant in Brazil during 2019]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/02d0cb0f-58e2-468e-9b5b-21809a7dfe9d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/02d0cb0f-58e2-468e-9b5b-21809a7dfe9d.jpg&h=485&w=73542143https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/ford-confirms-exit-from-heavy-truck-business-in-south-america-42143
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/ford-confirms-exit-from-heavy-truck-business-in-south-america-42143Wed, 20 Feb 2019 10:21:00Volvo Trucks delivers first electric trucks to its customers<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/13ec16ad-738a-4df8-802e-6b2c42408a79.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Volvo Trucks delivered its first electric trucks for its customers. The Volvo FL Electric trucks are part of a pre-series developed in collaboration with selected customers. Series production of the Volvo FL Electric and its powerful sibling, the Volvo FE Electric, will commence with a limited number of trucks for the European markets in the second half of 2019.</strong></p>
<p>The first lot of the trucks went to Renova, a waste and recycling company. Volvo Trucks also delivered distribution trucks to the logistics company DB Schenker and partner haulier TGM, which operates in Sweden.</p>
<p>The Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric trucks are developed for distribution, refuse handling and other urban transport applications. The Volvo FL Electric has capacity for a GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 16 tonnes, while the Volvo FE Electric has capacity for a GVW of 27 tonnes.</p>
<p>Roger Alm, president Volvo Trucks (pictured below) said, &ldquo;Our close collaboration with drivers and customers has enabled us to develop, in a short space of time, electrified transport solutions that meet high requirements in terms of performance, driving distances, cargo handling and vehicle use.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/1860x1050-roger-alm.jpg&h=485&w=735" title=""></p>
<p>The drivers who will operate the electric trucks are said to have had the opportunity to test-drive them prior to delivery, as part of the operator training. &ldquo;The drivers were particularly impressed with the responsive driveline, delivering fast and seamless acceleration, and the low noise level,&rdquo; summarises Roger Alm.</p>
<![CDATA[The electric vehicles that were delivered include a refuse truck for Renova, distribution truck for DB Schenker and partner haulier TGM in Sweden.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/13ec16ad-738a-4df8-802e-6b2c42408a79.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/13ec16ad-738a-4df8-802e-6b2c42408a79.jpg&h=485&w=73542144https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-trucks-delivers-first-electric-trucks-to-its-customers-42144
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-trucks-delivers-first-electric-trucks-to-its-customers-42144Wed, 20 Feb 2019 10:18:00European truck makers voice concern about highly ambitious CO2 reduction targets<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f5838c71-9cb0-4c4a-8586-bbda58630e85.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>European truck makers have reacted to the final CO2 deal setting first-ever EU standards for heavy-duty vehicles. The European Automobile Manufacturers&rsquo; Association (ACEA) has taken note of the final deal on the regulation setting standards for CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, reached by the European Parliament, Commission and national governments last night.</strong></p>
<p>ACEA says it is most particularly concerned about the highly ambitious CO2 reduction targets which have now been set for trucks: -15% by 2025 and -30% by 2030. These targets are highly demanding, especially as their implementation does not depend solely on the commercial vehicle industry, and the baseline for the targets is still unknown.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We can now only call upon member states to urgently step up their efforts to roll-out the infrastructure required for charging and refuelling the alternatively-powered trucks which will need to be sold en masse if these targets are to be met,&rdquo; stated ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert.</p>
<p>ACEA&rsquo;s concern stems from the total lack of such infrastructure today. Indeed,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acea.be/press-releases/article/truck-co2-targets-no-public-charging-points-for-electric-or-hydrogen-trucks" target="_blank">data shows</a>&nbsp;that currently there is no public charging or refueling infrastructure suitable for electric or hydrogen trucks whatsoever. Even in the case of truck-specific filling stations for natural gas (CNG and LNG), availability remains very low and patchy across Europe.</p>
<p>The need for the 28 national governments to implement an EU-wide infrastructure action plan is all the more urgent in light of the mandatory sales quotas for zero-emission trucks that the EU institutions have agreed to introduce from 2025 onwards (via the &lsquo;benchmark&rsquo; system).</p>
<p>Erik Jonnaert: &ldquo;The introduction of a benchmark system for truck manufacturers&nbsp;totally ignores the demand side. We cannot expect transport operators to suddenly start buying electric or other alternatively-powered trucks if there is no business case for them and it is not possible to easily charge the vehicles along all major EU motorways. Policy makers must act to ensure that the zero-emission trucks that manufacturers will be mandated to produce can actually be bought and operated by our customers.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Also, given that this is the first time the EU sets CO2 standards for trucks, it is extremely worrying that many supportive measures that could contribute to reaching the targets (longer vehicle combinations such as EMS, alternative fuels, etc) have been deferred until at least 2025.</p>
<p>The European Automobile Manufacturers&rsquo; Association (ACEA) is the Brussels-based trade association of the 15 major car, van, truck and bus producers in Europe. The ACEA commercial vehicle members are DAF Trucks, Daimler Trucks, IVECO, MAN Truck &amp; Bus, Scania, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, and Volvo Group.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[ACEA says it is most particularly concerned about the highly ambitious CO2 reduction targets which have now been set for trucks: -15% by 2025 and -30% by 2030.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f5838c71-9cb0-4c4a-8586-bbda58630e85.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f5838c71-9cb0-4c4a-8586-bbda58630e85.jpg&h=485&w=73542135https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/european-truck-makers-voice-concern-about-highly-ambitious-co2-reduction-targets-42135
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/european-truck-makers-voice-concern-about-highly-ambitious-co2-reduction-targets-42135Tue, 19 Feb 2019 15:36:00Piaggio launches CNG three-wheelers in Patna<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1bcf3567-1486-4eef-8dc1-b25b30832558.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Piaggio Vehicles, which manufactures small commercial vehicles, has rolled out its CNG, water-cooled 395cc engine vehicle range for the Patna, Bihar market. They include the Ape&rsquo; Auto DX, the six-foot cargo deck Ape&rsquo;&nbsp;Xtra LDX+ and the&nbsp;Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX.</strong></p>
<p>The introduction of the new range of CNG vehicles is a strategic initiative from Piaggio to mobility solutions in the last-mile transportation segment for its customers in Bihar. The new CNG Ape&rsquo; Auto DX Passenger and Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX and Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX+ are claimed to offer best-in- class performance in terms of power, pick-up, mileage and maintenance. With the new CNG vehicle range, running costs will be substantially lower than regular three-wheelers and will help meet the growing demand for commercial vehicle mobility solutions particularly suited to intra-city travel in Bihar.</p>
<p>According to Saju Nair, EVP and Head of the Commercial Vehicle Business, Piaggio India,&nbsp;&ldquo;Alternate fuel technology is growing day by day in India and hence to cater to the market&rsquo;s changing needs we have introduced this new range of CNG vehicles for the Bihar market. Piaggio is the market leader in the three-wheeler category in Bihar and with this new range of vehicles we are confident of maintaining and further strengthening our leadership in the CNG segment as well. For the Bihar market, we have designed a special exchange scheme&nbsp;for old petrol and diesel autorickshaws which have completed their legal age.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Malind Kapur, senior vice-president, Marketing and Channel Development, Piaggio Vehicles said, &ldquo;I would like to thank the government for their emphasis on alternate fuels in Patna. Setting up of CNG stations in Patna under the Urja Ganga project will further strengthen the small commercial vehicle industry in Bihar.&nbsp;We also have tie-ups with nationalised banks for the benefit of our customers. With this CNG infrastructure, a number of three-wheelers will now adopt and convert to CNG in a big way in Patna&nbsp;and I see many new opportunities for us in the coming future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Piaggio has a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant at Baramati in Maharashtra, with an installed annual production capacity of over 300,000 three-wheelers and 80,000 four-wheelers.</p>
<![CDATA[The new CNG Ape’ Auto DX Passenger and Ape’ Xtra LDX and Ape’ Xtra LDX+ are claimed to offer best-in- class performance in terms of power, pick-up, mileage and maintenance.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1bcf3567-1486-4eef-8dc1-b25b30832558.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1bcf3567-1486-4eef-8dc1-b25b30832558.jpg&h=485&w=73542133https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-launches-cng-threewheelers-in-patna-42133
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-launches-cng-threewheelers-in-patna-42133Tue, 19 Feb 2019 14:49:00Ashok Leyland launches new Guru 1010 ICV, Boss 1616 and 1916 medium-duty trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e1fad62f-234e-4051-af7c-951649a19534.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok Leyland has launched the latest variants of the Intermediate Commercial Vehicle (ICV) Guru 1010 and Medium Duty Vehicles (MDV) variant of the Boss &ndash; the Boss 1616 and Boss 1916 &ndash; in Mumbai.</strong></p>
<p>According to the company, while the Guru 1010 offers an ideal combination of best-in-class fuel efficiency and highest actual payload in the segment, ensuring maximum returns per kilometer, the Boss 1616 and 1916 combine form and function &ldquo;to create the ultimate MDV for the perfect balance between payload and performance.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Speaking on the launch and overall M&amp;HCV business, Anuj Kathuria, President, Global Trucks, Ashok Leyland, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Our trucking portfolio has been growing at a fast pace, leading to our customers wanting more options and customisations in their vehicle. The new Guru 1010, Boss 1616 and Boss 1916 are a result of customer feedback and market requirements. Both the Guru and Boss range of trucks are the preferred choice of transportation in their respective tonnage segments. We have carried forward this successful platform for the new versions and added more features that our customers want, delivering profitability and driver comfort. These vehicles score highly on fuel efficiency, payload, productivity and use the advanced diesel-engine technology, which corresponds to more savings compared to other vehicles in the segment. Solid products with class-leading performance, backed by an extensive sales and aftersales support is helping us expand our family of customers across regions.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Guru new-generation ICV, which is powered by three-cylinder UPCRS EXP engine, has a number of highlights including a hydraulically tiltable day cabin; high-sided deck; larger windshield and 6-speed synchromesh GB with over drive. The vehicle comes with 4 different loading spans to cater to various applications.</p>
<p>The Boss 16- and 18.5-tonne truck is designed for enhanced axle-loads as per the new regulations. The new 160 hp engine delivers the best-in-class mileage and pickup, helping maintain uptime and turnaround time. Like the Guru, it comes with 4 different loading spans to cater to various applications.</p>
<![CDATA[The company has launched the latest variants of the Guru 1010 intermediate CV and the Boss 1616 and 1916 medium duty truck. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e1fad62f-234e-4051-af7c-951649a19534.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e1fad62f-234e-4051-af7c-951649a19534.jpg&h=485&w=73542126https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-launches-new-guru-1010-icv--boss-1616-and-1916-mediumduty-trucks-42126
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-launches-new-guru-1010-icv--boss-1616-and-1916-mediumduty-trucks-42126Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:18:00Ashok Leyland profits down 21% in Q3 FY19 due to higher input costs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3e545414-7d11-4649-b50f-803bb151b2fd.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok&nbsp;Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja Group, reported revenue of Rs 6,325 crores in Q3 for FY19. The net profit of the CV manufacturer in the quarter was Rs 381 crore, down by Rs 104 crore (21%) from Q3 FY18. YTD Q3 FY19&nbsp;(9M) revenues touched Rs. 20,209 crores, up 15 percent over </strong><strong>the corresponding</strong><strong> period last year. Its profits in the nine months of FY2019 increased by 36 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> with Rs 1,330 crore as against Rs 975 crore.</strong></p>
<p>Vinod K. Dasari, managing director,&nbsp;Ashok&nbsp;Leyland&nbsp;said, &ldquo;We are proud to have achieved BS6 across the entire range of engines on our test beds. Coupled with the modularity of vehicles&nbsp;we are planning&nbsp;from 2020, it presents exciting opportunities for differentiating&nbsp;Ashok&nbsp;Leyland&rsquo;s offerings to the customers. Equally, we hope that post elections, there will be greater spending on Defence as we will then see orders for the many tenders won by us over last couple of years. Lastly, we are excited about the LCV business. Now that the LCV business is merged with&nbsp;Ashok&nbsp;Leyland, we will offer the entire range of LCVs from 2020. This will help complete the range and&nbsp;Ashok&nbsp;Leyland&nbsp;will then be able to offer a full range of CVs which are also Left Hand Drive (LHD) compliant, giving a boost to exports. Equally, in near term, I expect gains from the BS6 pre-buy in next fiscal.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Gopal Mahadevan, CFO,&nbsp;Ashok&nbsp;Leyland&nbsp;added, &ldquo;Total industry volume (TIV) for the quarter was lower by 7 percent owing to the high base in last year. If you were to look at the cumulative growth in TIV till Dec &rsquo;18 was 25 percent which is quite significant. LCV business is gaining momentum with market share in Dost segment touching 19 percent in Q3. Our financial performance has been satisfying given the twin challenges of pricing pressure and higher input costs as we continue to post double digit EBITDA margins. Our strong balance sheet position continues, and we are preparing for growth next year&rdquo;.</p>
<![CDATA[Ashok Leyland claims to have consistent operating margins, despite market volatility that affected its Q3 FY19 performance.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3e545414-7d11-4649-b50f-803bb151b2fd.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3e545414-7d11-4649-b50f-803bb151b2fd.jpg&h=485&w=73542102https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-profits-down-21-in-q3-fy19-due-to-higher-input-costs-42102
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-profits-down-21-in-q3-fy19-due-to-higher-input-costs-42102Fri, 15 Feb 2019 15:51:00Daimler Trucks sees record sales in 2018, double-digit growth in India, Brazil, NAFTA<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/999f66c7-1962-4a28-bd64-6c24c9b8c134.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>2018 has turned out to be the most successful year in the history of Daimler Trucks to date, with record unit sales, revenue and earnings (EBIT). Daimler&rsquo;s truck division increased its unit sales by 10&nbsp;percent to 517,300 vehicles in the year under review &ndash; its highest unit sales (2017: 470,700).</strong></p>
<p>Daimler Trucks recorded double-digit sales growth rates in major markets and regions such as the NAFTA region, Brazil and India. At 38.3&nbsp;billion euros, revenue was also significantly higher than in the previous year (2017: 35.8&nbsp;billion euros). The division&rsquo;s EBIT reached another record level of 2,753&nbsp;million euros in 2018, up by 16 percent on the previous year&rsquo;s figure of 2,383&nbsp;million euros. Its return on sales was 7.2&nbsp;percent (2017: 6.7&nbsp;percent). The positive earnings trend was mainly the result of higher unit sales in the NAFTA region and the systematic implementation of efficiency improvements. By the end of 2018, Daimler Trucks had achieved earnings improvements of 1.4&nbsp;billion euros that will be fully effective in 2019.</p>
<p>Daimler Trucks is cautiously optimistic for 2019: The global commercial-vehicle industry leader anticipates a slight increase in unit sales &ndash; assuming that overall market conditions remain favorable worldwide &ndash; and aims to achieve a return on sales of 7 to 9&nbsp;percent for the current fiscal year.</p>
<p>&ldquo;2018 was the most successful year in the history of Daimler Trucks. We took advantage of tailwinds in key markets and achieved new highs for unit sales, revenue and earnings. Our results for 2018 prove that we have the right products and services for the most diverse markets and regions. Our customers move the world &ndash; and our shared task at Daimler Trucks&nbsp;&amp; Buses in 2019 will be to provide them with the best possible support,&rdquo; said Martin Daum, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler&nbsp;AG responsible for Trucks &amp; Buses.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">2019: Well positioned for further sales growth</span></strong><br>
Daimler Trucks says it is well positioned for 2019 in the most important markets and regions worldwide. In North America, it is about to launch the new Freightliner Cascadia &ndash; the first series-produced truck capable of partially automated driving in the United States. In Brazil, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil is once again the market leader and is benefiting from a recovering market. Mercedes-Benz will further strengthen its leading position in Europe with the launch of the new Actros in June 2019.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20DICV.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 449px;" title=""></p>
<p>With its BharatBenz brand, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles is the only globally active manufacturer to be successful in the Indian market. Since the start of production (2012), Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has delivered more than 100,000 trucks from its plant in Chennai. Every fifth vehicle went to one of approximately 50 export markets. With about 22,500 units sold last year, India was one of the five most important markets for Daimler Trucks.</p>
<p>Daimler Trucks Asia will open its new Design Center at FUSO in Tokyo in March 2019. Like its sister brands Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner, the FUSO Super Great will be able to drive in partially automated mode (Level 2) from November onwards. In China, the world&rsquo;s largest truck market, Daimler Trucks and its joint venture partner Foton sold more than 100,000 locally manufactured Auman trucks last year.</p>
<![CDATA[Record results for unit sales, revenue and EBIT in 2018; Daimler Trucks anticipates a slight increase in unit sales and aims for a return on sales of 7 to 9 percent in 2019]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/999f66c7-1962-4a28-bd64-6c24c9b8c134.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/999f66c7-1962-4a28-bd64-6c24c9b8c134.jpg&h=485&w=73542098https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sees-record-sales-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-in-india--brazil--nafta-42098
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sees-record-sales-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-in-india--brazil--nafta-42098Fri, 15 Feb 2019 11:51:00BharatBenz expands dealer network to 16 in Tamil Nadu<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4280640d-86f1-4262-9dfa-3fcb658d8dfc.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) in association with KUN Trucking has inaugurated a new 3S state-of-the-art BharatBenz dealership in Villupuram and in Maraimalainagar which will cater to BharatBenz trucks and buses. The opening of </strong><strong><strong>this new network touchpoints</strong></strong><strong>, owned and operated by KUN Trucking, reflects the strong growth trajectory of BharatBenz in its home region.</strong></p>
<p>The 3S facility (sales, service, spares) has eight mechanical bays. The dealership will have trained manpower who understand the diverse needs of the customers and will provide onsite services. It comes equipped with high productivity tools, advanced guided diagnostics and mobile service vans. The dealership will provide a host of value-added services such as cashless zero-depreciation insurance, full maintenance contracts, extended warranty, 24x7 roadside assistance, vehicle tracking systems, and driver training.</p>
<p>U Venkatesh, managing director, KUN Trucking&nbsp;along with&nbsp; Satyakam Arya, managing director and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles&nbsp;and&nbsp;Rajaram Krishnamurthy, vice-president (Marketing and Sales), DICV&nbsp;inaugurated the dealership.</p>
<p>Speaking at the event,&nbsp;DICV&rsquo;s Rajaram Krishnamurthy said, &ldquo;We are delighted to welcome KUN Trucking in Villupuram and Maraimalainagar. With now 16 touchpoints across Tamil Nadu, we cater to the increasing local customer base in our home region.&rdquo;</p>
<p>KUN Trucking&rsquo;s U Venkatesh&nbsp;said: &ldquo;We are delighted to partner with BharatBenz once again with our new state-of-the-art BharatBenz dealership at Villupuram and in Maraimalalinagar. We are fully ready to ensure that our customers experience superior sales and after sales service with other facilities at our new dealership. At KUN Trucking, it is all about our customers and their business needs. BharatBenz, customers can be assured of the best of sales advisory and state-of-the-art &lsquo;Proserv&rsquo; aftersales service and spares support.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In addition to the three touchpoints, a bus service bay and exclusive Body shop at&nbsp;Poonamalee, and a stockyard at Utkottai Village, Tiruvallur were also inaugurated.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[​State-of-the art 3S facility in Villupuram and in Maraimalainagar to cater to BharatBenz range of trucks and buses.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4280640d-86f1-4262-9dfa-3fcb658d8dfc.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/4280640d-86f1-4262-9dfa-3fcb658d8dfc.jpg&h=485&w=73542089https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/bharatbenz-expands-dealer-network-to-16-in-tamil-nadu-42089
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/bharatbenz-expands-dealer-network-to-16-in-tamil-nadu-42089Thu, 14 Feb 2019 17:13:00Nissan and Groupe Hasnaoui to build new $160m car plant in Algeria<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b6175418-e2ae-4d00-a0ce-26c5629b24ea.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Nissan Motor Co and Groupe Hasnaoui will invest a total of $160 million in a new Nissan vehicle plant in Algeria to meet growing customer demand in the country and across Africa.</strong></p>
<p>The two companies will set up a joint venture in coming weeks, having received approval by the Algerian government on December 6, 2018. The plant will have the capacity to build 63,500 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles annually, and will produce several models. Details of the lineup will be announced at a later date.</p>
<p>Nissan aims to double its presence in the Africa, Middle East and India region over the course of the company&#39;s MOVE to 2022 midterm plan. Expanding industrial operations into new markets, like Algeria, is part of the growth strategy. The move into the market follows Nissan&#39;s announcement last year that it will start making cars in Pakistan.</p>
<p>Algeria is forecast to be the second-largest car market in Africa by 2021. The government is working to diversify the economy and has set a target to ultimately raise production to 500,000 cars a year, while growing the local supplier base.</p>
<p>The Nissan car plant is expected to create at least 1,800 jobs in Algeria and support many more in the supply chain. Nissan teams from Japan will work with suppliers in the country to develop the local component industry through technical support, training and skills exchange.</p>
<p>"Nissan will bring new models and innovative technology to meet the growing expectations of customers in Algeria," said&nbsp;Peyman Kargar, senior vice-president and chairman of the Africa, Middle East and India region for Nissan. "Working with Groupe Hasnaoui, we already have a strong heritage of excellent products and service in the country. Using our Japanese engineering expertise, we will build a manufacturing hub and work to develop the supplier industry."</p>
<p>Groupe Hasnaoui, founded in 1964 by Abdallah Hasnaoui, is a major player in the Algerian economy with interests in industry, distribution and services. The company is committed to creating value in the Algerian economy and is headed by its two co-presidents, Feriel Hasnaoui and Sefiane Hasnaoui.</p>
<p>Groupe Hasnaoui is Nissan&#39;s distributor in Algeria. The two companies have been partners for 25 years. "With an industrial strategy based on employment and localization - the only guarantees of our country&#39;s economic development - and a real creation of sustainable value for our national economy this investment will give us the status of wealth creation and generate industrial expertise," said Sefiane Hasnaoui, President of Groupe Hasnaoui.</p>
<p>The new plant in Algeria will increase Nissan&#39;s total potential capacity in Africa to about 200,000 vehicles. The number includes existing factories in South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria.</p>
<p>Nissan Algeria &ndash; a subsidiary of Groupe Hasnaoui &ndash; will also expand its existing national network of 35 outlets in line with an anticipated increase in sales volume that will place Nissan within the top tier of auto brands in Algeria by 2021.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[With Algeria forecast to be the second-largest car market in Africa by 2021, Nissan looks to meet rising demand with local production. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Passenger Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b6175418-e2ae-4d00-a0ce-26c5629b24ea.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b6175418-e2ae-4d00-a0ce-26c5629b24ea.jpg&h=485&w=73542077https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/nissan-and-groupe-hasnaoui-to-build-new-$160m-car-plant-in-algeria-42077
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/nissan-and-groupe-hasnaoui-to-build-new-$160m-car-plant-in-algeria-42077Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:34:00Dana launches total cost of ownership calculator for CV applications<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/912b72fc-dc4f-4800-9b5e-a778eb193ebd.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Dana has launched its total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) calculator for the commercial-vehicle market in the US. Fleets and independent operators can utilise this calculator to make comprehensive cost comparisons between traditional diesel platforms and full-electric powertrain solutions.</strong></p>
<p>"Fleets are closely evaluating the costs to potentially transition from diesel to electric platforms as they seek to move goods more responsibly," said Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Driveline Technologies. "Dana is committed to supporting customers throughout the evolution of mobility, and our new analytics tool provides an extensive review of the total cost of ownership for diesel and electric powertrains, aiding fleets as they explore electrification&#39;s role in their operations."</p>
<p>The easy-to-use calculator requires minimal input and includes visual prompts for simple navigation. &nbsp;Prior to beginning an assessment, a user may choose to include their specific cost of ownership details, such as vehicle acquisition cost, taxes, tolls, and maintenance fees. &nbsp;If this information is not readily available, the calculator is pre-populated with common operating parameters for six key "electrification-first" applications.&nbsp; Designed with the flexibility to tailor the calculations to a user&#39;s unique situation, Dana&#39;s calculator is able to address the needs of its diverse customer base, including regional considerations for units of measurement and currency.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Total cost of ownership calculations include fuel, equipment, and a total of &lsquo;other&rsquo; costs to provide a summary assessment of the total cost per mile and the total annual cost for operation.&nbsp;The user is able to toggle between the diesel evaluation and the full electric evaluation, as well as display both calculations for a side-by-side comparison.</p>
<p>Future enhancements to the calculator will include alternative power variants, as well as the ability to customize powertrains featuring specific Spicer Electrified with TM4 systems. To experience the Dana total cost of ownership calculator, visit dana.com/tco</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Fleets and independent operators can utilise this calculator to make comprehensive cost comparisons between traditional diesel platforms and full-electric powertrain solutions.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/912b72fc-dc4f-4800-9b5e-a778eb193ebd.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/912b72fc-dc4f-4800-9b5e-a778eb193ebd.jpg&h=485&w=73542076https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-launches-total-cost-of-ownership-calculator-for-cv-applications-42076
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-launches-total-cost-of-ownership-calculator-for-cv-applications-42076Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:01:00Tata Motors to supply 40 electric buses to Lucknow City in 4 months<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2fe24e9b-81d5-4835-8d8b-c64a811fc19f.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata </strong><strong>Motors,</strong><strong> will supply 40 units of the Ultra 9m AC electric buses to the Lucknow City Transport Services (LCTSL) in a phased manner, within the next four months. The first Ultra 9/9m AC electric bus was flagged off today in Lucknow by the Suresh Kumar Khanna, minister of Urban Development, along with dignitaries from LCTSL and Tata Motors.</strong></p>
<p>Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Srivastava, product line head &ndash; Passenger Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, said &ldquo;Tata Motors has always been at the forefront of the e-mobility evolution. The order is part of the 255 e-buses to be supplied to six STUs in the country, of which LCTSL is one. We are determined to develop alternate fuel technologies and create more energy efficient vehicles supporting government&rsquo;s efforts for promoting electric vehicles in the country.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Manufactured at Tata Motors and Tata Marcopolo Dharwad plants, the Ultra Electric buses will have a traveling range of up to 150km on a single charge. The company has also installed a charging station at the Alambagh depot for fast charging of buses. The indigenously developed vehicle features lithium-ion batteries placed on the rooftop to prevent breakdown due to waterlogging. The batteries are liquid cooled to maintain the temperature within an optimum range and ensure longer life along with better performance in tropical conditions.</p>
<p>Dr. A K Jindal, head engineering (Electric &amp; Defence), CVBU, Tata Motors said, &ldquo;Tata Motors has been engaging in advanced engineering and development of electric traction system for hybrid as well as pure electric vehicles for over a decade. The Ultra Electric Bus is a new modular platform which has been developed in a very short lead time of less than a year, leveraging the knowledge and experience we have gained and demonstrating our commitment to the government of India&rsquo;s National Electric Mobility Mission Plan for Public Transport. The architecture of the platform has been conceived and developed by in-house engineering team of Tata Motors, meeting the requirement of various tenders floated by different state transport undertakings. The exterior has been designed with new brand identity that includes stylised Ultra headlamps and streamlined looks. The vehicle architecture ensures very low energy consumption and low TCO (total cost of operation) apart from being a zero emission environment friendly bus.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The air-conditioned Ultra electric buses are has seats for 31 passengers. Tata Motors says as an industry first, the buses have air suspension for both front and rear axles to make travel more comfortable for the commuters. Integrated electric motor generator with a peak power of 333HP can deliver 197HP continuously ensuring effortless driving in congested roads and frequent start stops needing no shifting of gears. The critical electrical traction components have been sourced from international suppliers in USA, Germany and China. The buses have been tested and validated by Tata Motors across states including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra to establish performance in diverse terrains.</p>
<p>Ajeet Singh, joint director, Urban Transport Directorate, government of UP said, &ldquo;The government of UP has a clear focus on revolutionising transportation with sustainable, affordable and safe mobility solutions for the masses. With an In-depth understanding of the market, Tata Motors is delivering the Starbus Ultra 9m AC E-Buses which will soon ply on the roads of Lucknow, from Alambagh Bus Terminal to Gomti Nagar Route. We look forward to strengthening this association with Tata Motors to bring Smart City Solutions in future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The company has tenders to supply 255 electric buses to six public transport undertakings including WBTC (West Bengal), LCTSL (Lucknow), AICTSL (Indore), ASTC (Guwahati), J&amp;KSRTC (Jammu) and JCTSL (Jaipur). In addition to this, the company is also working on developing its electric mini-bus segment in the near future.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The company has tenders to supply 255 electric buses to six public transport undertakings.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2fe24e9b-81d5-4835-8d8b-c64a811fc19f.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2fe24e9b-81d5-4835-8d8b-c64a811fc19f.JPG&h=485&w=73542047https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-supply-40-electric-buses-to-lucknow-city-in-4-months-42047
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-supply-40-electric-buses-to-lucknow-city-in-4-months-42047Sun, 10 Feb 2019 14:56:00Dana launches TCO calculator for CV buyers<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f3a0ad2f-9261-443b-8717-2793c0537005.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Dana has launched its total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) calculator for the commercial vehicle (CV) market, which it says will allow fleets and independent operators to utilise this calculator to make comprehensive cost comparisons between traditional diesel platforms and full-electric powertrain solutions.</strong></p>
<p>Mark Wallace, president, Dana Commercial Driveline Technologies, said: "Fleets are closely evaluating the costs to potentially transition from diesel to electric platforms as they seek to move goods more responsibly. Dana is committed to supporting customers throughout the evolution of mobility, and our new analytics tool provides an extensive review of the total cost of ownership for diesel and electric powertrains, aiding fleets as they explore electrification&#39;s role in their operations."</p>
<p>The company says the easy to use calculator requires minimal input and includes visual prompts for simple navigation. Prior to beginning an assessment, a user may choose to include their specific cost of ownership details, such as vehicle acquisition cost, taxes, tolls, and maintenance fees. &nbsp;If the information is not readily available, the calculator is pre-populated with common operating parameters for six-key &#39;electrification-first&#39; applications.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dana says the calculator is designed with the flexibility to tailor the calculations to a user&#39;s unique situation, which is able to address the needs of its diverse customer base, including regional considerations for units of measurement and currency.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The TCO calculations include fuel, equipment, and a total of &#39;other&#39; costs to provide a summary assessment of the total cost per mile and the total annual cost for operation.&nbsp; The user is able to toggle between the diesel evaluation and the full electric evaluation, as well as display both calculations for a side-by-side comparison.</p>
<p>The company says in the future it will also introduce enhancements to the calculator that will include alternative power variants, as well as the ability to customise powertrains featuring specific Spicer&nbsp;Electrified with TM4 systems. &nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The calculator requires minimal input and includes visual prompts for simple navigation.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f3a0ad2f-9261-443b-8717-2793c0537005.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f3a0ad2f-9261-443b-8717-2793c0537005.jpg&h=485&w=73542034https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-launches-tco-calculator-for-cv-buyers-42034
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dana-launches-tco-calculator-for-cv-buyers-42034Fri, 08 Feb 2019 12:01:00Dynapac India opens new factory in Pune<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/519962fb-1559-4943-a85b-77ffcaa024be.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Dynapac India inaugurated its new facility in Pune for manufacturing road construction equipment. The facility was inagurated by Jean-Claude Fayat, president and CEO, Fayat Group.</strong></p>
<p>The company started manufacturing soil compactors in India in 2008 and has since expanded the range to a full line of soil compactors and asphalt rollers for domestic and export markets. &nbsp;With a decade of experience in manufacturing in India, &nbsp;the new integrated facility in Pune will enable increase production capacity that will strengthen the group presence in the country. This the company says will enable it to widen its customer base and strengthen new technology that will make them more competitive in the growing road market in India.</p>
<p>The new plant located at Pulgaon, Pune has a production capacity in the range of 1,200-1,500 units, which the company says will boost up the sales in the market. In CY 2018 the company manufactured 750 units in India, and at present has a market share between 12-15 percent in the sector. Under the Fayat umbrella, Dynapac has continued to operate as an autonomous manufacturer.</p>
<p>The Pune facility is spread across 5.5 acre&nbsp;and will have an employee strength of about 100 people. In India Dynapac offers product design and development with competence center along with both local sourcing and support of global sourcing teams. It has also established a distribution centre with sales and service support.</p>
<p>Both soil compactors and asphalt rollers are produced at the Pune factory. The soil compactors are between 10- to 12-tonne and will serve both the Indian market as well as being exported. The double drum asphalt rollers will be built in two segments: one small tandem roller of 1.6-tonne and one segment including rollers between 7- to 9- tonne. Like the soil compactors, these are both for the local market as well as for other markets.</p>
<p>Jean-Claude Fayat, president of the Fayat Group, said: &ldquo;This investment is a great opportunity for the Fayat Group and its customers, as Dynapac is a key player in the road construction equipment market with a highly recognised brand. Dynapac has an excellent strategic place in our Group and we plan on growing and expanding its presence and product offering. We will leverage its expertise and technologies together with our existing portfolio to continuously develop equipment that closely addresses our customers&rsquo; needs.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[The new production capacity in the range of 1,200-1,500 units, which the company says will boost up the sales in the market.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/519962fb-1559-4943-a85b-77ffcaa024be.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/519962fb-1559-4943-a85b-77ffcaa024be.jpg&h=485&w=73542033https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/dynapac-india-opens-new-factory-in-pune-42033
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/dynapac-india-opens-new-factory-in-pune-42033Fri, 08 Feb 2019 11:39:00Mahindra recalls Imperio pickup to inspect rear axle<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/857e9db4-5df8-4d13-b9a6-58cfb45ca185.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra has announced a recall to inspect the rear axles on its Imperio vehicles manufactured between April 2018 and June 2018. The inspection and subsequent rectification will be carried out free of cost for Imperio customers, who will be individually contacted by the company.</p>
<p>M&amp;M says, &ldquo;To ensure a hassle-free experience for its customers, the company is proactively carrying out this activity. This action is also in compliance with SIAM&#39;s voluntary code on vehicle recall. Customers can also visit the website (Service Action section) and check if their vehicles are part of the service action.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[The affected vehicles have been manufactured between April and June 2018.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Passenger Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/857e9db4-5df8-4d13-b9a6-58cfb45ca185.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/857e9db4-5df8-4d13-b9a6-58cfb45ca185.jpg&h=485&w=73542010https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-recalls-imperio-pickup-to-inspect-rear-axle-42010
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-recalls-imperio-pickup-to-inspect-rear-axle-42010Tue, 05 Feb 2019 14:01:00Tata Motors displays environment-friendly solutions at Clean Tech Environment 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/89c727bb-560b-4afe-82b5-e0c09a7e50b6.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors showcases its smart environment-friendly solutions for waste management at the Clean Tech Environment 2019 from February 3-5, 2019 at Pragati Maidan. </strong></p>
<p>The company says the products on display are designed to control air pollution and handle various types of solid and liquid waste in a humane manner, addressing the pressing needs of providing environment conducive products, in both metropolitan cities and smaller towns.</p>
<p>Tata Motors displayed &ndash;&nbsp;Tata 3 Kl Spray tank truck on LPT 709 CNG and Tata 3.5 CuM Litter Picker on LPT 407 CNG&nbsp;vehicles during the event. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology municipal application solutions, these products are built on the most versatile platforms of Tata LCV running on CNG. These variants with their designs and various customisations for multiple applications ensure ease and convenience of use and provide customers with smarter mobility solutions.</p>
<p>Commenting on the occasion&nbsp; R T Wasan, vice-president &ndash; Sales and Marketing, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Urban waste in India is a huge problem leading to health and environmental issues. To address this issue, both private and government sector are working together for a clean and green India. Tata Motors has always been a frontrunner in collaborating with the government to&nbsp; provide a number of smart sustainable mobility solutions for today&rsquo;s smart cities."</p>
<p>Tata Motors&#39; says the spray tank truck are designed to control air pollution and provide an environment-friendly solutions to the vendors. The mist formed by sprinkler nozzles fitted in the water tanker helps in suppressing the dust particles. This product is available on CNG platform and is prescribed by various regulatory bodies.</p>
<p>The litter picker is built on&nbsp;a more powerful and sturdier truck chassis, the machine has higher container volume of 3,500-litres as compared to the small litter pickers which has a volume of 300-400-litres. This the company says enhances the productivity of the vehicle and can be used continuously for a much longer time. The machine has an auxiliary engine, which operates as a compressor as well as drive the vacuum suction centrifugal blower. The material being suctioned is separated from the airstream with the help of a cyclonic separator installed in the machine container hopper of volume 3,500-litres. The fine dust is further separated from the airstream by the imported cartridge bag filters provided in the container, ensuring only clean air is exhausted from the machine&rsquo;s centrifugal blower discharge.</p>
<p>The product does not require manual handling of the collected waste as the material collected is being suctioned directly in the machine collection hopper and is being discharged by hydraulic tipping of the container. The collected spillages in the machine hopper are taken to the dumping ground and are discharged by hydraulic tipping of the container. The discharge door locking and lifting is also hydraulic assisted. Though the bag filters are being continuously cleaned with automatic compressed air purging system, there is no need of frequent replacement of collection bags. The vehicle is designed to suction horticulture spillages like leaves, horticulture waste; and littered spillages like small cans, water bottles, cardboard boxes, plastic boxes etc. lying alongside the road.</p>
<![CDATA[The company says the products on display are designed to control air pollution and handle various types of solid and liquid waste in a humane manner.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/89c727bb-560b-4afe-82b5-e0c09a7e50b6.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/89c727bb-560b-4afe-82b5-e0c09a7e50b6.JPG&h=485&w=73542001https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-displays-environmentfriendly-solutions-at-clean-tech-environment-2019-42001
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-displays-environmentfriendly-solutions-at-clean-tech-environment-2019-42001Mon, 04 Feb 2019 15:11:00Minda Industries and KPIT Engineering to collaborate for telematics products<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d14669b4-e304-49e0-b77e-5f7716d28a16.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Minda Industries has entered into a definitive agreement with KPIT Engineering to purchase its business related to telematics hardware products consisting of VTS <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ais-140-norm-public-transport-vehicles-mean-28696">AIS 140</a>, OBITS (On Bus Integrated Telematics Systems complying to UBS-II specifications), and telematics products for school buses. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals. MIL will be a preferred supplier to KPIT for other telematics hardware products.</strong></p>
<p>Commenting on the pact, N K Minda, chairman and MD, Minda Industries said: "With AIS 140 notification being released by the Government this year and its implementation with effect from January 2019, we believe that this segment will offer opportunity for growth and expansion. In addition to this, KPIT is among the pioneers in the telematics space in India and this collaboration would give access to new customers and technology."</p>
<p>Kishor Patil, CEO of KPIT, said: "This collaboration is in line with our re-defined strategy to focus on software development and integration for mobility. Minda&#39;s proven manufacturing capability will impart scale and benefit our customers and employees."</p>
<p>Minda Industries is the flagship company of the UNO Minda Group, which is a leading supplier of proprietary automotive solutions to OEMs as Tier 1. The Group is a global player in the automotive sector with overseas manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, Mexico, Morocco, Germany and Colombia as well as design offices in Taiwan, Japan and Spain. It has 58 manufacturing plants globally and has JVs/Technical Agreements with world renowned manufacturers from Japan, Italy, Taiwan and India.</p>
<p>KPIT, which specialises in embedded software, Al and digital solutions for the automotive and mobility industry, partners with customers to accelerate implementation of next generation technologies. It has technology centers in Europe, USA, Japan, China and India.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ais-140-norm-public-transport-vehicles-mean-28696"><span style="color:#ff0000;">What does the AIS 140 norm mean for public transport vehicles</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Minda to purchase KPIT’s business related to telematics hardware products consisting of VTS AIS 140, On Bus Integrated Telematics Systems complying to UBS-II specs, and telematics products for school buses.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Auto Components, Commercial Vehicles, Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d14669b4-e304-49e0-b77e-5f7716d28a16.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d14669b4-e304-49e0-b77e-5f7716d28a16.jpg&h=485&w=73541963https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/minda-industries-and-kpit-engineering-to-collaborate-for-telematics-products-41963
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/minda-industries-and-kpit-engineering-to-collaborate-for-telematics-products-41963Wed, 30 Jan 2019 14:26:00Mahindra enters intermediate CV market, launches Furio at Rs 17.45 lakh<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/98a63e24-f946-45f4-bc45-9eec4b9ab121.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra&rsquo;s Truck and Bus Division (MTB), a part of the Mahindra Group, today had the commercial launch of the Furio, its brand-new range of Intermediate Commercial Vehicles (ICVs) with an unprecedented guarantee of &lsquo;More Profit or Truck Back&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<p>The Furio marks the company&rsquo;s entry into the ICV segment and is set to make Mahindra a full range commercial vehicle player. To be available across India from today, Furio prices start at Rs 17.45 lakh for the Furio 12 19 ft HSD variant and Rs 18.10 lakh for the Furio 14 19ft HSD variant (ex-showroom Pune).</p>
<p>The Furio, according to the company, has seen a four-year development programme involving more than 500 Mahindra engineers and 180 suppliers with an investment of Rs 600 crore.</p>
<p>Speaking at the launch in Mumbai today, Dr Pawan Goenka, managing director, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;The launch of the new Furio range of ICV trucks with an unprecedented customer value proposition of &lsquo;Get More Profit or Give the Truck Back&rsquo;, is a unique and pioneering promise, which reflects our serious commitment to the segment and confidence in our product. It is also an outcome of substantial investments in the CV business. Today, we are probably the first and possibly the only CV brand in the world to have an end-to-end presence from 3-wheelers to a 49-tonne truck. With Pininfarina design, the Furio is set to be a game-changer for us and perhaps for the industry, giving the new truck one of the safest, most ergonomic and comfortable cabins that will set new standards.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rajan Wadhera, president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, said, &ldquo;The ICV category is highly competitive making the entry of a new player seem difficult. However, we are confident of making our mark with an unprecedented Customer Value Proposition, focusing on maximising earnings and ensuring peace of mind of our customers. Our strong technological acumen and ability to gather and process customer insights have helped us devise category best products. With the launch of the Mahindra Furio, with guaranteed higher profit, I am confident that the ICV segment will never be the same again.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to Vinod Sahay, CEO, Mahindra Truck and Bus and Construction Equipment Divisions, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra Ltd., &ldquo;The Mahindra Furio is designed around the unaddressed needs of ICV customers. They have been longing for a truck that can deliver higher earnings, lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), the highest warranty, lowest maintenance and yet have world class, no-compromise safety and comfort, all in one truck. The Furio, with its unmatched package of customer value propositions and a very competitive initial price offer, is precisely that. We are confident enough to guarantee higher profits or take the truck back and that in itself is a defining moment for the industry.&rdquo; According to the company, the Furio not only offers best-in-class mileage, the highest payload, lowest TCO with rugged aggregates but also ensures best-in-class safety and comfort in a segment which has the maximum high-speed applications among all CV segments in India. It also comes with the first-time ever 5 years/ 500,000km free maintenance guarantee (free AMC) and 5 years / 500,000km transferrable warranty.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:<br />
<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/vinod-sahay-%E2%80%9Cwe-have-set-a-target-to-make-mahindra-trucks-&amp;-bus-profitable-at-ebidta-level-in-fy2019%E2%80%9D-40254"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Interview with&nbsp;Vinod Sahay: &ldquo;We have set a target to make Mahindra Trucks &amp; Bus profitable at EBIDTA level in FY2019.&rdquo;</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The truck maker has plugged a gap in its portfolio and strengthened its ‘challenger brand’ positioning in the market.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/98a63e24-f946-45f4-bc45-9eec4b9ab121.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/98a63e24-f946-45f4-bc45-9eec4b9ab121.jpg&h=485&w=73541953https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-enters-intermediate-cv-market--launches-furio-at-rs-1745-lakh-41953
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-enters-intermediate-cv-market--launches-furio-at-rs-1745-lakh-41953Tue, 29 Jan 2019 13:16:00Tata Motors launches LPT 1212 LCV in Bangladesh<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ac516730-0899-4b2f-bf61-e524784d7ef3.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors, along with its authorised distributor Nitol Motors, today launched the all-new Tata LPT 1212 light commercial vehicle in Bangladesh.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The Tata LPT 1212 light truck powered by the 497 TCIC common-rail engine with proven engine life and reparability. The LPT 1212 is designed to deliver improved performance and better fuel efficiency with lower emissions and&nbsp;levels of noise and vibrations.</p>
<p>The engine is configured to deliver optimum power output at even lower rpms, enabling driving&nbsp;with lesser gearshifts while providing better fuel efficiency. Tata Motors says the bigger clutch diameter of 330mm allows easy engagement of gears leading to driving comfort and efficient power transmission. The high ground clearance of 245mm helps transport&nbsp;cargo even over rough terrain. The truck is shod with bigger tyres&nbsp;(9X20 &ndash; 16 PR).</p>
<p>Abdul Matlub Ahmed, chairman, Nitol Motors,&nbsp;said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Our local expertise coupled with a robust dealer network across the country has been crucial to our success thus far. With our partner Tata Motors, we are confident about making a significant impact in the light truck segment with Tata LPT 1212 and thus winning a significant market share.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rudrarup Maitra, head, International Business, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors said, &ldquo;The Tata LPT 1212&nbsp;has been specifically designed keeping in mind the unique local Bangladesh market loading requirements and duty cycle. With various product enhancements such as a powerful engine, high ground clearance, bigger clutch diameter and tyre size, this vehicle is the best choice for customers in this segment. We are confident of further strengthening our market leadership in Bangladesh with this launch.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[The Tata LPT 1212 is designed to deliver improved performance and better fuel-efficiency with lower emissions, levels of noise and vibrations. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ac516730-0899-4b2f-bf61-e524784d7ef3.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ac516730-0899-4b2f-bf61-e524784d7ef3.JPG&h=485&w=73541945https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motors-launches-lpt-1212-lcv-in-bangladesh-41945
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motors-launches-lpt-1212-lcv-in-bangladesh-41945Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:40:00Eicher launches 16-tonne truck with AMT tech<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/09da3ded-0c39-48d5-afc4-d2eafdbfc17a.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Eicher Trucks &amp; Buses, part of&nbsp;VE Commercial Vehicles, has launched a 16-tonne truck with AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) technology, the Eicher Pro 3016&nbsp;AMT.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The company says&nbsp;the Eicher Pro 3016 AMT is the first 16-tonne GVW AMT truck&nbsp;which is equipped with an Intelligent Shift Control Actuator that automatically performs clutch and shift operations which completely eliminates the need to use the clutch and shift gears manually.</p>
<p>The Pro 3016 AMT features auto and manual modes along with transmission drivability features, or power mode for time-bound deliveries and eco mode for fuel efficient operations.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The elimination of a clutch pedal frees drivers from gear-shifting, reduces their stress and fatigue and minimises the performance gap between skilled and less experienced drivers. Eicher Trucks &amp; Buses states that this truck is apt for a variety of applications such as e-commerce, consumer goods, parcel and courier, pharmaceuticals, industrial goods, agriculture produce, poultry and dairy products.</p>
<p>Commenting on on the new AMT truck launch,&nbsp;Rama Rao A S, executive vice-president, Sales, Marketing and Aftermarket, Heavy Duty Trucks, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: &ldquo;Eicher has always been a pioneer in providing technologically superior solutions to its customers as per market demands. Today, we are introducing AMT in the value truck range for 16 tonnes. The Pro 3016 has successfully made a unique position for itself in the competitive 16-tonne segment. With Pro 3016 AMT, we aim to launch a technologically advanced truck that will be a&nbsp; game changer for the commercial vehicle industry.&rdquo; &nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Fuel efficiency is a plus in the all new Eicher Pro 3016 AMT.&nbsp;However, factors such as comfort, safety, driver efficiency and total cost of ownership of the truck are also critical aspects of buying trucks these days. The Eicher Pro 3016 provides additional comfort and fatigueless driving, so that the driver can clock&nbsp;more kilometres per day and focus on driving with more attention to the road. AMT allows optimised gearshifting that contributes to a fuel efficient and comfortable drive and low maintenance, thus improving their overall turnaround time, eliminating shocks to the driveline and allowing smooth movement of cargo.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Pro 3016 AMT trucks are being manufactured in the Eicher Trucks and Buses facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, where Eicher produces its complete range of 4.9T to 55T commercial vehicles.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The Pro 3016 AMT is equipped to address challenges around driver safety, comfort and protection of cargo, thus ensuring fast and efficient movement of goods.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/09da3ded-0c39-48d5-afc4-d2eafdbfc17a.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/09da3ded-0c39-48d5-afc4-d2eafdbfc17a.jpg&h=485&w=73541944https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-launches-16tonne-truck-with-amt-tech-41944
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/eicher-launches-16tonne-truck-with-amt-tech-41944Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:20:00Tata Motors’ 3.8L SGI CNG engine for CVs gets BS VI certification<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f79a2ab6-1be4-4548-a50e-5dba832c9de5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In the run-up to its readiness to meet upcoming BS VI emission norms, Tata Motors has announced that it has received BS6 Type Approval certificate for its 3.8-litre NA SGI CNG engine from ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India).</strong></p>
<p>This makes it the first OEM in India to achieve BS VI certification for a naturally aspirated CNG engine for commercial vehicles. This certification includes meeting the tailpipe mass emissions as well as compliance to On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) norms as mandated by government regulation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Commenting on the certification, Rajendra Petkar,&nbsp;Chief Technology Officer, Tata Motors,&nbsp;said, &ldquo;This BS VI engine certification milestone has been achieved with intense design and development focus, by leveraging in-house capabilities and those of our technology partners. We have worked hard to build a leadership position in the market by providing our customers with economical, best-in-class natural gas vehicle products in the commercial vehicle market and this development of BS VI solution will further re-inforce our market offering.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The 3.8-litre NA SGI CNG engine is a naturally aspirated engine, which means it does not need a turbocharger. It produces a maximum power of 85 Ps at 2500rpm and torque of 285 Nm at 2500rpm. This combustion occurs at stoichiometric conditions in this engine, which comes with sequential gas injection (SGI) technology, pioneered by Tata Motors in India. The exhaust after-treatment system features a three-way catalytic converter that helps reduce pollutants below limits mandated by regulation.</p>
<p>The 3.8 NA SGI CNG engine will power 4T to 9T GVW buses and trucks such as 407, 709 and 909 (existing BS4 versions), which are already very popular models in the market, with the best-in-class fuel efficiency. Truck applications include water tankers too.</p>
<p>As is known, BS VI norms will come into force in India from April 1, 2020. The upgradation from BS IV to BS VI, in which all of India Auto Inc is actively engaged, involves complex engineering. This calls for not only pushing technological advancements to the limits but also for a turnaround of the infrastructure and facilities required for this development, which is highly capital intensive in nature with long lead execution periods.</p>
<p>Tata Motors says it has installed a state-of-the-art Emission Test Facility at the Power Systems Engineering Division (PSE), in ERC, Pune. This facility serves as one of the crucial milestones for BS VI implementation for the automaker.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The ARAI-certified 3.8-litre naturally aspirated, sequential gas injected, CNG engine will power 4T to 9T GVW buses and trucks such as 407, 709 and 909 (existing BS IV versions). Truck applications include water tankers too.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f79a2ab6-1be4-4548-a50e-5dba832c9de5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f79a2ab6-1be4-4548-a50e-5dba832c9de5.jpg&h=485&w=73541870https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors’-38l-sgi-cng-engine-for-cvs-gets-bs-vi-certification-41870
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors’-38l-sgi-cng-engine-for-cvs-gets-bs-vi-certification-41870Fri, 18 Jan 2019 11:37:00CV sales in India surpass a million units for the first time in CY2018<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2fbbf8a2-afd1-4a44-9bf3-a0758b75e4a3.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Even though growth seems to be moderating for the commercial vehicle (CV) sector, particularly M&amp;HCVs, in India, the sector has notched a new landmark &ndash; a million-plus sales in the domestic market in 2018. This is the first time that this milestone has been notched for a calendar year.</strong></p>
<p>Between January-December 2018, a total of 1,005,380 CVs were sold, notching year-on-year growth of 27 percent and making India one of the fastest-growing CV markets globally. The growth comes on the back of strong demand for both the medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&amp;HCVs) and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) which grew by 23 and 30 percent respectively. The growth rate would have been better if not for some growth inhibitors in the last two to three months of CY2018 like the revised axle load norms, high diesel prices, a liquidity crunch and poor market and consumer sentiment.</p>
<p>It may be recollected that the overall CV sector in FY2018 touched all-time high sales of 856,453 units (+20%) after seeing marginal 4 percent growth in FY2017. In the ongoing fiscal&rsquo;s (FY2019) first nine months, overall CV sales at 723,262&nbsp; units are up 26 percent. This could have been better but given the current growth rate, the sector is likely to cross the million unit mark the first time ever in any fiscal year.</p>
<p>Importantly during FY2018, the M&amp;HCV sector clocked total sales of 395,753 units, closing in on the 400,000 unit mark, perhaps the second highest after China. While the bus segment remains under stress and almost-flat growth, the goods carrier segment &ndash; the barometer of economic activities in the country &ndash; remains strong with total sales of 357,369 units, registering a strong 26 percent growth.</p>
<p>The M&amp;HCV segment has seen a good uptick due to superior growth in the overall economy, higher infrastructure spend by the government, especially on-road and highway construction. This has translated into robust demand for the tipper market. Similarly, the LCV market &ndash; both pickups and small CVs &ndash; is benefiting from demand from growing satellite cities, booming e-commerce, increasing rural connectivity&nbsp;and&nbsp;higher last-mile delivery. LCV sales crossed the 600,000 units mark in the calendar year, clocking handsome 30 percent YoY growth.</p>
<p><span style="color:#3300ff;"><strong>TATA MOTORS REMAINS ON TOP</strong></span><br>
The higher level of industry growth in CY2018 is clearly reflected in buoyant OEM sales. Market leader Tata Motors, the sole full CV player, maintains its stranglehold with sales of 448,629 units for a market share of 45 percent. However, the company is aggressively fighting competition in the M&amp;HCV segment to retain its leadership status. Tata Motors is tops in the LCV segment too but a hard-driving Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, which is the second-largest player in the overall CV market with 25 percent market. What is helping M&amp;M is the sustained demand for its popular&nbsp;Bolero range of pickups, particularly from semi-urban markets, is keeping it on its toes. Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus, which recently launched the Blazo X HCV, the company is aspiring for the No. 3 position in the M&amp;HCV segment.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/SMALL%20SVC_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 1440px; height: 573px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and Tata Motors are fighting a pitched battle in the small CV market with their Bolero pickup (left) and Ace product range.&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>
<p>Chennai-based Ashok Leyland, the second largest player in the M&amp;HCV segment, sold a total of 183,889 units in 2018 for a total market share of 18 percent. Over the past couple of years, Ashok Leyland has been gaining substantial market share in the M&amp;HCV segment from the market leader with its new heavy-duty trucks. Now it is looking to expand its base in the LCV segment where the Dost, its sole SCV, is a popular product. The company is now aggressively tapping the LCV segments with a product offensive to become a full CV player.</p>
<p>VE Commercial Vehicles, another player with strong ambition, sold 63,662 units in 2018 for a market share of six percent. The company has already hit peak production capacity at the Pithampur plant and has invested in a greenfield facility near Bhopal to expand capacities. Force Motors with its strong presence in the commercial passenger segment with the Traveller range of LCVs sold a total of 21,409 units to become the fifth largest player in the overall CV segments with a market share of 2.1 percent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>MARUTI SUPER CARRY MAKES SMART GAINS</strong><br>
Maruti Suzuki India, which entered the CV segment with its small CV the Supper Carry, has gained market share in 2018.&nbsp;Sales of the Super Carry averaged 1,705 units each month albeit the company would have liked a better number. Its sales of 20,469 units in 2018 gives it a market share of 2 percent to become the sixth largest player in the segment.&nbsp;SML Isuzu, which operates in the limited intermediate commercial vehicle market, sold 12,597 units in the year for a marginal market share of 1.2 percent. &nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/DOMESTIC%20MARKET%20SALES%20IN%20CALENDAR%20YEAR%202018.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 224px;" title="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Between January-December 2018, a total of 1,005,380 CVs were sold, notching year-on-year growth of 27 percent and making India one of the fastest-growing CV markets globally. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2fbbf8a2-afd1-4a44-9bf3-a0758b75e4a3.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2fbbf8a2-afd1-4a44-9bf3-a0758b75e4a3.jpg&h=485&w=73541837https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/cv-sales-in-india-surpass-a-million-units-for-the-first-time-in-cy2018-41837
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/cv-sales-in-india-surpass-a-million-units-for-the-first-time-in-cy2018-41837Tue, 15 Jan 2019 17:35:00Tata Motors targets booming e-commerce sector with its new range of trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b6cedd3f-0a68-4b5b-94a4-d06fbb600da0.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The e-commerce industry in India is one of the fastest growing market places in the world, and Tata Motors&#39; is banking on its product range to meet the critical, demanding and ever growing requirements of this consumer base.</strong></p>
<p>In its first ever end-to-end experiential expo for the e-commerce industry Tata Motors is displaying a complete range of its 13 fully-built, ready-to-use vehicles, which it says is exclusively developed for the e-commerce industry and can meet every single application cutting across hub-to-hub-to-spoke transportation and the end-to-end delivery requirements.&nbsp;The company showcased its products at the E Commerce Expo 2019,&nbsp;held in Devi Lal Stadium, Gurgaon.</p>
<p>The CV major says it has developed these solutions after extensively researching the exacting requirements of the e-commerce industry, engaging with the top e-commerce companies and their vendors involving its own design engineers and FBV team by incorporating the requirements in the design and features as required by customers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For the last mile distribution, Tata Motors with its range of its Ace platform exhibited versatility through&nbsp;the Ace delivery van&nbsp;for&nbsp;e-commerce goods, Ace Zip panel van&nbsp;for e-commerce packages&nbsp;and&nbsp;Super Ace Mint XPS&nbsp;for voluminous goods transportation. Tata Motors says the vehicles are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, ease and convenience of use, efficient and reliable performance with best-in-class mileage, and most cost-efficient solutions; these vehicles are known for superior design, excellent fuel economy, a longer service life and with its versatility supports the various customisations for multiple applications, enabling smarter solutions for the e-commerce industry.</p>
<p>The vehicles come with customised payloads and deck lengths to carry light goods like white goods to heavier loads like fruits, vegetables and auto parts.&nbsp;Tata&nbsp;Super Ace Mint insulated container allows for the temperature-controlled transportation of perishable goods like milk- and milk products, fruits and vegetables, meat, etc.</p>
<p>For the hub-to-spoke transportation requirements, the company displayed a range of ILCV on the modern newly launched series of Ultra trucks, which is powered by the Turbotron engine, which the company claims comes with better performance, reliability, operating economics and much more. These vehicles are fitted with the advanced features like OTP lock, CCTV cameras, load sensors and Telematics system, among others, which is in line with the exacting demands of the e-commerce industry. These vehicles equipped with the latest advanced safety features, reduces the total cost of ownership, and gives best-in-class mileage along with high level of driving comfort and safety.</p>
<p>The company exhibited its 24 FT MS Container On Ultra 1518/53, 20 FT MS Container on Ultra 1014/45, 20 FT MS Reefer On Ultra 1014/45, 3 Side Openable - MS Container On Ultra 1518/53, 22 FT MS Container on LPT 1412/48&nbsp;and&nbsp;10 FT MS Container on SFC 407/33.&nbsp;This range can cater to the growing needs of e-commerce, industrial goods, auto component, FMCG, agri products, beverages, pharma and white goods industries.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">MHCV range for hub-to-hub transportation</span></strong><br />
For the hub-to-hub transportation requirements, Tata Motors&#39; MHCV range of fully built solutions is displayed, with these vehicles built exclusively for the e-commerce industry and customised with special features catering to their specific requirements.</p>
<p>The&nbsp;24 Ft refrigerated container on LPT 1613/52&nbsp;and&nbsp;32 Ft Refrigerated Container on LPT 2518/68&nbsp;is equipped to cater to the growing demand of the cold chain supplies like frozen foods, ice-cream, dairy products, fruits, vegetables and pharma. The&nbsp;31 Ft MS Container on SIGNA 2818/68&nbsp;AMT&nbsp;vehicle combines the unmatched benefits of a ready to use truck equipped with advanced safety, security and surveillance features (like anti fuel theft, digital locks, reverse parking and in-container cameras, load sensors, door opening sensors) and&nbsp;pioneering Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hill Start Aid&nbsp;delivering class leading feature and comfort. The&nbsp;32 Ft MS Container on LPT 1618/68 Turbotronn&nbsp;powered by the future-ready&nbsp;Tata 5.0-litre 4-cylinder Turbotronn engine&nbsp;is designed for excellent benefits on both revenue and TCO aspects. These the company says is suitable for transporting goods like long haul e-commerce shipments, auto parts, tyres, agri products, white goods, FMCG, parcels and courier.</p>
<p>Girish Wagh, president &ndash; CVBU, Tata Motors&nbsp;said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Fuelled by rising incomes, increasing government support, and a surge in the internet users, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow to $200 billion (Rs 1,420,900 crore) by 2026 from $38.5 billion (Rs 273,523 crore) in 2017. Today, companies are also increasing their distribution centres and their fleet size to cater to the growing demands of the consumers. We believe, the E-Commerce Expo 2019 will act as a platform to address the growing demands of the transporters and e-commerce players; and provide them with diverse range of fully-built products with customised features. Through our product offerings, we are shifting the paradigm for new age products and smart solutions."&nbsp;</p>
<p>"To support the e-commerce industry players who live by their commitment to deliver on time every single time to their customers, Tata Motors has developed customised value added services under the Sampoorna Seva umbrella giving total peace of mind for the e-commerce company and the transporters enabling them to live up to their commitment. The value added service include breakdown services anywhere in the country 24x7, annual maintenance contracts, hassle-free insurance cover for the vehicles, quick service bays, on-site services, pit-stop services for high traffic hubs and all of this supported by the most extensive service and parts network in the country,&rdquo; added Wagh.</p>
<p>The CV maker said that its products are designed based on the feedback and suggestions received from the customers, and it has created experience centres for customers to better understand the high-end technology/design implemented in making the vehicles superior and reliable. The expo will witness presence from transporters and leading e-commerce companies such as&nbsp;Amazon, Flipkart, Future Supply chain, DHL among others.</p>
<![CDATA[The CV maker displayed its product portfolio with market-ready solutions across its complete range - SCVs to MHCV - for the e-commerce industry.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b6cedd3f-0a68-4b5b-94a4-d06fbb600da0.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b6cedd3f-0a68-4b5b-94a4-d06fbb600da0.jpg&h=485&w=73541836https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-targets-booming-ecommerce-sector-with-its-new-range-of-trucks-41836
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-targets-booming-ecommerce-sector-with-its-new-range-of-trucks-41836Tue, 15 Jan 2019 16:40:00ZF's e-drive system equipped in fuel cell bus<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a034d8a2-71bf-4b30-a4bc-ec4e5426ca70.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>German Tier 1 supplier ZF said that British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis (ADL) is expanding its product line, adding a double-decker model powered by a fuel cell drive, which is also equipped with ZF&#39;s AxTrax AVE electric drive axle to prevent local emissions. </strong></p>
<p>ZF said it also provided additional hardware and software solutions for optimum performance. An initial prototype was impressive, operating at high efficiency during field testing, demonstrating the success of AxTrax AVE electric portal axle product line.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are delighted that the British manufacturer Alexander Dennis has placed its trust in the AxTrax AVE electric drive solution from ZF,&rdquo; said Fredrik Staedtler, head of ZF&#39;s Commercial Vehicle Technology Division. &ldquo;ZF has simplified the process of electrifying vehicle platforms for the manufacturer while making an important contribution toward keeping city centre mobility solutions free from emissions.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Tier 1 said that AxTrax AVE will be installed in a bus with a fuel cell drive in a bus, designed by ADL based on its Enviro400 product line. This configuration comprises a secure system that uses hydrogen to generate electricity, which, in turn, drives two electric wheel-hub motors in the electric portal axle. As fuel cells do not utilise fossil fuels, it will not produce any hazardous emissions, only steam.&nbsp;</p>
<p>ADL spent two years developing this hydrogen-driven double-decker bus with ZF being a partner from the start. During field testing, the prototype operated along real bus routes in several cities throughout the United Kingdom. In addition to the AxTrax AVE, ZF also provided the inverter, the EST 54 electronic control unit (ECU) and the appropriate control software.</p>
<p>In this complete system, the company optimally aligned performance, efficiency and the service life of the drive. Moreover, this system solution helped reduce the test and homologation costs for ADL.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The British manufacturer has already presented the prototype of the new fuel cell double-decker to the public as well as several fleet operators.<br />
ZF said first introduced the AxTrax AVE in 2012 and has been successfully deployed around the world ever since. The electric drive axle can be used in a wide array of possible applications as it can not only be operated in the mentioned fuel cell configuration, but also as a hybrid or purely electrically with lithium-ion batteries.</p>
<p>In addition to the striking drive performance &ndash; totalling 250kW up to a maximum axle load of 13,000kg &ndash; the compact design is also appealing. Since neither a conventional unit nor a universally jointed shaft is necessary for transmitting power, manufacturers have more freedom to design the passenger area the way they want. They can add seating and standing room, for example, or provide for step-less entry and exit or a completely flat passageway.</p>
<![CDATA[First application of ZF's AxTrax AVE electric portal axle in a fuel cell configuration of Alexander Dennis bus, sees impressive results during field tests.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a034d8a2-71bf-4b30-a4bc-ec4e5426ca70.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a034d8a2-71bf-4b30-a4bc-ec4e5426ca70.jpg&h=485&w=73541835https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-edrive-system-equipped-in-fuel-cell-bus-41835
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/zf-edrive-system-equipped-in-fuel-cell-bus-41835Tue, 15 Jan 2019 16:02:00Ashok Leyland to supply 2,580 buses to STUs in Chennai, UP and Chandigarh<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f12b77fe-b46d-406e-871e-26eb1eb90f3a.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok Leyland, India&rsquo;s largest bus manufacturer, today confirmed that it has bagged orders from THE Institute of Road Transport, Chennai (IRT), Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport (UPSRTC) and Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) for 2,580 buses.</strong></p>
<p>These orders&nbsp;are among the largest from State Transport Undertakings (STUs) for a single OEM. All these buses can be delivered before March 2019.</p>
<p>Speaking about these orders, Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland, said, &ldquo;We are very happy to receive the confirmation of these orders from State Transport Undertakings. Our ability to bring value, combined with our superior technology and innovation will help us maintain our leadership position in buses in India.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Speaking on the order, Sanjay Saraswat, senior vice-president, Global Buses, Ashok Leyland, said:&nbsp;&ldquo;Our buses are durable, robust and employ the latest in technology. The cost of ownership and the product experience which we can deliver is the best in the industry. Our in-depth understanding of what works for our markets and customers is what differentiates us and has helped us win these orders.&rdquo;</p>
<p>At present, Ashok Leyland is the fourth largest manufacturer of buses in the world and India&rsquo;s largest bus manufacturer. The company says these orders would further consolidate its leadership position.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The order delivery is expected to be completed before March 2019.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f12b77fe-b46d-406e-871e-26eb1eb90f3a.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f12b77fe-b46d-406e-871e-26eb1eb90f3a.jpg&h=485&w=73541788https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-to-supply-2-580-buses-to-stus-in-chennai--up-and-chandigarh-41788
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-to-supply-2-580-buses-to-stus-in-chennai--up-and-chandigarh-41788Wed, 09 Jan 2019 18:01:00Daimler’s new Freightliner Cascadia with Level 2 automated driving premieres at CES<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/614560de-1497-4ff8-ad99-06a46b3089f9.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>At CES 2019, Daimler Trucks has announced that it will invest 500 million euros (around US$ 570 million) over the coming years and create more than 200 new jobs in its global push to bring highly automated trucks (SAE Level 4) to the road within a decade.</strong></p>
<p>The new Freightliner Cascadia offers partially automated driving features (Level 2), making it the first-ever partially automated series production truck on North American roads. It also made its world premiere during yesterday&rsquo;s presentation of Daimler Trucks at CES.</p>
<p>Highly automated driving is characterised as automated travel in defined areas and between defined hubs without any expectation of the system that a user will respond to a request to intervene. In commercial trucking, Level 4 is the natural next step after Level 2, increasing efficiency and productivity for customers, cutting costs per mile significantly. In doing so, Daimler Trucks is skipping the intermediate step of conditionally automated driving (Level 3). Level 3 automated driving does not offer truck customers a substantial advantage compared to the current situation as there are no corresponding benefits to compensate for the technology costs.</p>
<p>Martin Daum, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Daimler Trucks &amp; Buses, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been pioneering automated trucking. In 2015, our Freightliner Inspiration Truck got the first road license ever for an automated commercial vehicle. Now we take automated trucking to the next level: we&rsquo;re ready to launch the first partially automated new Freightliner Cascadia in 2019 &ndash; and next, we tackle highly automated trucks. Highly automated trucks will improve safety, boost the performance of logistics and offer a great value proposition to our customers &ndash; and thus contribute considerably to a sustainable future of transportation.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Level 2 automated driving in the new Freightliner Cascadia</strong><br />
With Active Drive Assist (Mercedes-Benz Actros, FUSO Super Great) and Detroit Assurance 5.0 with Active Lane Assist (Freightliner new Cascadia), Daimler Trucks is already bringing partially automated driving features into series production.</p>
<p>The new system can independently brake, accelerate and steer. Unlike systems that only work above a certain speed, Active Drive Assist / Detroit Assurance 5.0 make partially automated driving possible in all speed ranges for the driver for the first time in a series production truck. Active lateral control and the connection of longitudinal or lateral control in all speed ranges are new thanks to the fusion of radar and camera information.</p>
<p><strong>Level 4 AD improves safety, efficiency and competitiveness</strong><br />
Highly automated trucks (Level 4) offer enormous advantages in many areas. Level 4 trucks can considerably contribute to that. They enhance safety in traffic thanks to a redundancy of systems and a multitude of sensors and systems that never get tired or lose attention &ndash; because today, a great majority of accidents are still due to human error.</p>
<p>Level 4 highly automated trucks also improve efficiency and productivity, among other things, through higher utilisation of the vehicles &ndash; practically around the clock. They also make it possible to travel during light traffic times, for example at night, and thus avoid traffic jams by intelligent route management. This has positive effects for truck customers and for the entire economy: the competitiveness of an economy is strongly correlated with the efficiency of logistics. This aspect becomes more and more relevant as global road freight volume is expected to more than double between 2015 and 2050.</p>
<p><strong>Different needs for&nbsp;highly automated driving of cars and trucks</strong><br />
A crucial success factor for the development of a safe and reliable level 4 highly automated truck is a closely coordinated system of engineering and technology development. Daimler Trucks says it uses the extensive knowledge from many years of experience in developing driver assistance systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Thanks to its overall portfolio ranging from passenger cars and vans all the way to buses and trucks, the Daimler Group is ideally positioned for all relevant application scenarios of automated driving. Scalable solutions are therefore available.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Developments from the Mercedes-Benz Cars division suitable for haulers and their transport needs will also be used at Daimler Trucks. Level 2 systems now available will be raised to Level 4 through innovation and the re-definition of existing systems.</p>
<p>However, despite all the similarities, the requirements for highly automated driving of cars and trucks differ considerably from one another. The sheer size of a truck makes higher demands on the technology than in the passenger car sector as do moving systems on an articulated system, for example. In addition, the driving behaviour due to a greater mass or other deceleration values as well as other driving characteristics, for example in curves, place much higher demands on the system.</p>
<p>The operating conditions in the transport industry are also much tougher. In order to enable efficient delivery cycles and to meet customer requirements for fast delivery, the vehicles must be operated for as long as possible. This must not lead to any restrictions in durability or reliability, for example under a wide variety of weather conditions and extreme vibrations. Finally, public acceptance is a key factor to successfully integrating Level 4 systems into the value chain.</p>
<p>Two sensors are currently in use at Level 2. In the next development step at Level 4, there will be significantly more, all also higher performing. This leads to a completely new level of data volume but also places extremely high demands on the quality of data processing. The goal: the driver&#39;s perception is recreated by the holistic recording of the traffic and vehicle situation by different sensor technologies. With their specific strengths, each sensor makes a contribution to the overall performance and safety. Three different technological approaches form the basis: radar, camera and lidar.</p>
<p>The safety, precision and durability of the systems will already play a leading role at launch. As in aircraft, all safety-relevant functions will therefore be equipped with a redundant system that is capable of seamlessly taking over in case the primary control system malfunctions.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Daimler Trucks is skipping the intermediate step of conditionally automated driving (Level 3) and going to Level 4 that increases efficiency and productivity, and also cuts costs per mile significantly. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk CES 2019, Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/614560de-1497-4ff8-ad99-06a46b3089f9.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/614560de-1497-4ff8-ad99-06a46b3089f9.jpg&h=485&w=73541775https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler’s-new-freightliner-cascadia-with-level-2-automated-driving-premieres-at-ces-41775
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler’s-new-freightliner-cascadia-with-level-2-automated-driving-premieres-at-ces-41775Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:25:00Daimler Trucks sells over 500,000 trucks in 2018, double-digit growth for Daimler India CV <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/888b220f-793f-4c8a-b582-13a5aafde957.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler Trucks, the world&rsquo;s leading truck manufacturer, has achieved one of the best sales years in its history in 2018. Based on initial data, unit sales of the Mercedes-Benz, FUSO, Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and BharatBenz brands increased to well over 500,000 vehicles in 2018 (2017: 470,700). Daimler AG says the exact sales figures will be announced at its annual press conference on February 6, 2019.</strong></p>
<p>In a generally positive market environment, the Daimler Group&rsquo;s trucks division had already increased its unit sales by 11 percent to approximately 466,900 units by the end of November, significantly more than in the same period of the previous year (January - November 2017: 422,500).</p>
<p>&ldquo;2018 was one of the most successful years in the history of Daimler Trucks. As previously announced, our worldwide unit sales are significantly higher than in the previous year. With well over 500,000 trucks, we have achieved our highest unit sales of the past 10 years,&rdquo; said Martin Daum, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler&nbsp;AG responsible for Trucks &amp; Buses.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Strongest sales growth in NAFTA region</span></strong><br />
Most of Daimler Trucks&rsquo; largest sales markets developed positively in the past year, with the highest growth achieved in the&nbsp;<strong>NAFTA</strong>&nbsp;region. Sales of the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses brands increased by 15 percent to a total of approximately 172,700 units in the first 11 months (prior-year period 150,600). With a recent market share of 38.3 percent in weight classes 6 - 8, Daimler Trucks was by far the undisputed market leader for medium- and heavy-duty trucks in North America once again in 2018. Freightliner&rsquo;s flagship, the New Cascadia, played a key role in the market success: More than 76,500 of this model have been sold since the start of production in late 2016.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Double-digit growth in Asia, influenced by Indonesia and India</span></strong><br />
In&nbsp;<strong>Asia</strong>, too, total sales rose significantly by 12 percent to 147,900 units (2017: 132,400). At approximately 40,000 trucks, sales in&nbsp;<strong>Japan</strong>&nbsp;in the first 11 months were roughly at the prior-year level (40,700). In its home market of Japan, the Asian commercial-vehicle subsidiary FUSO had a market share of 19.2 percent.</p>
<p>In the important&nbsp;<strong>Indonesian</strong>&nbsp;market, sales rose by a strong 52 percent to 57,400 units by November 2018 (prior-year period: 37,600).</p>
<p>In&nbsp;<strong>India</strong>, sales were boosted by a significant recovery in demand for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) sold approximately 20,500 trucks in the first 11 months, a significant increase of 35 percent compared with the same period of last year (15,200). Daimler Trucks also reached an important milestone in September 2018<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-crosses-100-000-unit-production-milestone-40629"> <span style="color:#ff0000;">with the production of its 100,000th vehicle at the Chennai plant</span></a>. In addition to BharatBenz trucks for the local market, the plant in Chennai also manufactures models for export to more than 40 markets worldwide.</p>
<p>In&nbsp;<strong>China</strong>, the world&#39;s largest market for commercial vehicles, Daimler holds a 50 percent equity interest in the joint venture Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Co. Ltd. (BFDA), the manufacturer of Auman medium- and heavy-duty trucks. As expected, sales of 95,100 Auman trucks in the first 11 months were below the high level of the prior-year period (104,600). In 2017, the market had benefited not only from the favorable economic developments but also from regulatory measures for the renewal of the stock of vehicles.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Significant market recovery in Latin America</span></strong><br />
In Latin America, Daimler Trucks significantly increased its unit sales in the first 11 months by 26 percent to approximately 34,400 trucks (prior-year period: 27,300). A significant contribution came from sales growth in Brazil, the region&rsquo;s main market. At approximately 19,300 vehicles, sales there grew by 59 percent (prior-year period: 12,200). With a market share of 27.7 percent, the Mercedes-Benz brand was once again the market leader in the medium and heavy-duty segments.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Sales growth also in Europe and Germany</span></strong><br />
In the so-called&nbsp;<strong>EU30 region (European Union, Switzerland and Norway),</strong>&nbsp;Daimler Trucks&rsquo; unit sales increased slightly by 4 percent in 2018. From January through November, about 76,200 units were sold (prior-year period: 73,600). Mercedes-Benz Trucks maintained its market leadership in the medium- and heavy-duty segments with a share of 20.4 percent. In&nbsp;<strong>Germany</strong>&nbsp;too, Mercedes-Benz continued to lead the truck market with a share of 36.0 percent. By the end of November, 29,100 vehicles had been delivered, an increase of 4 percent (prior-year period: 28,000). Mercedes-Benz Trucks expects further impetus from mid-2019 onwards from the new Actros, which was unveiled with numerous innovations at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in September and has been very well received.</p>
<![CDATA[Based on initial data, unit sales of the Mercedes-Benz, FUSO, Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and BharatBenz brands increased to well over 500,000 vehicles in 2018 (2017: 470,700). ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/888b220f-793f-4c8a-b582-13a5aafde957.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/888b220f-793f-4c8a-b582-13a5aafde957.jpg&h=485&w=73541730https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sells-over-500-000-trucks-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-for-daimler-india-cv-41730
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-trucks-sells-over-500-000-trucks-in-2018--doubledigit-growth-for-daimler-india-cv-41730Thu, 03 Jan 2019 15:56:00Piaggio launches Ape Xtra LDX and Auto DX in Gujarat<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/28b4d338-7bcf-4974-a830-23ae4c03e7b5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Piaggio Vehicles, a 100 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group, has launched a water-cooled range of three-wheelers in Gujarat. The range includes&nbsp;Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX (+ CNG water- cooled PU) priced at Rs 217,865, Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX CNG water-cooled PU priced at Rs 213,054 and Apé Auto DX (CNG water-cooled), priced at Rs 218,287&nbsp;(ex-showroom Ahmedabad).&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The Ape&rsquo; Xtra LDX and Apé Auto DX are part of the new water-cooled engine technology range and claimed to offer best-in-class performance in terms of power, pick up, mileage and maintenance. The new range of vehicles aims to meet the growing demand for commercial vehicle mobility solutions suited to intra-city travel in Gujarat, where the CNG fuel availability is amongst the best in the country.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/web_Saju%20Nair%2C%20Head%20of%20Commercial%20Vehicle%20Business%2C%20Piaggio%20India%20Pvt_%20Ltd_%20___.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Saju Nair, head of commercial vehicle business, Piaggio India</em></p>
<p>According to&nbsp;Saju Nair (pictured above), head of commercial vehicle business, Piaggio India,&nbsp;&ldquo;At Piaggio, our core philosophy is to provide pathbreaking solutions in the last-mile transportation segment and we are committed to providing best-in-class offerings to our customers. The alternate fuel technology is gaining prominence and growing day by day in our country and hence to cater to the market&rsquo;s changing needs we have introduced this improved range of alternate fuel vehicles.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The Ape’ Xtra LDX and Apé Auto DX are part of the new water-cooled engine technology range and claimed to offer best-in-class performance in terms of power, pick up, mileage and maintenance.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/28b4d338-7bcf-4974-a830-23ae4c03e7b5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/28b4d338-7bcf-4974-a830-23ae4c03e7b5.jpg&h=485&w=73541728https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-launches-ape xtra-ldx-and-auto-dx-in-gujarat-41728
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/piaggio-launches-ape xtra-ldx-and-auto-dx-in-gujarat-41728Thu, 03 Jan 2019 14:15:00M&HCV sales skid for second month in a row<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8ccd7a33-59a0-4d58-9ab1-05288dc322a9.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Is India&rsquo;s M&amp;HCV growth story slowing down? It clearly seems so. This even as LCV numbers are helping buffer overall CV sales. After sustained growth for the first seven months of FY2019, the CV industry is feeling the impact of moderating sales, particularly in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>While the cumulative overall CV industry sales of 647,278 units in April-November 2018 show strong YoY growth of 31.49 percent with M&amp;HCVs up 34.45 percent and LCVs by 30 percent, November 2018&rsquo;s M&amp;HCV sales of 25,363 units (-10.97%) were the first month when they were down after several months of growth.</p>
<p>Now, it looks like M&amp;HCV sales in December have followed the same declining trend. Both Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, the two dominating players in the segment, have registered a fall of over 25 percent in their M&amp;HCV sales.</p>
<p>A number of factors are impacting overall automotive sales including liquidity crisis in the industry, higher interest rates and fuel costs (albeit they have dropped in the past month). The steep fall in the M&amp;HCV segment is partially due to a drop in cargo sales and also additional capacity in the current heavy truck&nbsp;parc&nbsp;where vehicles are registered for higher payload due to the increase in axle load norms.</p>
<p>Commenting on the sales slowdown, in a recent interview with <em>Autocar Professional</em>, the president of the apex industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), said: &ldquo;I think the full effect of the change in axle-load norms, which has allowed fleet operators to get additional capacity, now looks to have settled down across the country from being only in a few pockets earlier. So, firstly, the axle-load norms have hampered the growth of heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs). Secondly, easy availability of finance is not there as the NBFCs are unable to lend because of the ongoing financial issue. Also, there is no adequate compensation to the fleet owner due to the increase in fuel prices. So, all these three factors together have slowed down growth. &nbsp;Moreover, the slowdown in the passenger vehicle segment is also impacting sale of trailers which are used for the movement of these vehicles across the country. Within the HCV segment, there is no perceptible growth from trailers and haulage trucks, with the only possibility coming in from tipper trucks as infrastructural spend continues to be there.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I would presume that growth in the next quarter (Q4 of FY2019) will be lower. However, there will be a rush of sale sometime around the second half of FY2020 as people will look to replace their existing BS III vehicles, which are there in large numbers and will become two generations older than BS VI, in order to escape low resale value once BS VI norms kick in. Having said that, I am not sure if the upcoming elections would see any meaningful announcements that give the segment a blip,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<p>IFTRT, which tracks the monthly freight rates on key trucking routes in India, says, &ldquo;Despite a steep daily drop in diesel price in December and continuing drop in diesel price during October and November 2018, truck rentals during December 2018 and retail parcel freight dropped by 5-6 percent on trunk routes with a drop in cargo offerings from factory gates. &nbsp;Supplies of fruits and vegetables to APMCs went up by 10-15 percent but oversupply of the truck fleet has also suppressed truck rentals and part-load freight charges, resulting in an almost 22-25 percent drop in HCV sales during December 2018 over the same period last year.&rdquo; &nbsp;</p>
<p>However, even as the overall customer and fleet buyer sentiment remains subdued and the muted festive session impacted M&amp;HCV sales, LCV sales remain fairly positive due to stronger demand for last-mile connectivity and rural market demand.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">How the OEMs fared in December</span></strong><br>
Commercial vehicle market leader&nbsp;<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Tata Motors</span></strong><strong> </strong>sold a total of 36,180 units in December 2018, which constitutes a drop of 11 percent (December 2017: 40,447). Its M&amp;HCV truck sales fell sharply by 27 percent to 11,506 units (December 2017: 15,828) and ILCV number were down by 5 percent with 4,846 units YoY. What helped Tata was the demand for its SCV cargo carriers and pickups which together sold 16,367 units (+ 8%). The commercial passenger carrier (bus) segment saw sales of 3,461 units (-22%); this sector has borne the brunt of slow STU buying and permits for private hiring.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland&nbsp;</span></strong>too recorded a steep decline in overall sales &ndash; 15,493 units in December 2018, a YoY de-growth of 20 percent (December 2017: 19,251).&nbsp;Its M&amp;HCV sales fell 29 percent YoY at 11,295 units albeit its LCVs recorded healthy 27 percent YoY growth at 4,198 units sold (December 2017: 3,303).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></strong>&rsquo;s overall CV sales declined marginally by 4 percent to 16,906 units (December 2017: 17,542). Its M&amp;HCV numbers, at 824 units sold, were down 31 percent YoY (December 2017: 1,193). Sales in the below-3.5T GVW segment remained flat at 15,537 units (December 2017: 15,749), while those in the above-3.5T GVW segment were down 9 percent at 545 units (December 2017: 600).</p>
<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>&nbsp;slipped into single-digit growth; the company sold 5,112 units in the domestic market last month, up 1.3% (December 2017: 5,045 units).</p>
<p>With three months left to go for FY2019, will the CV industry cross the one-million sales mark for the first time in a fiscal? Difficult to say right now, but in an election year, plenty of e-commerce industry demand for LCVs and SCVs and the continuing infrastructure spend by the government, there&rsquo;s no saying why it shouldn&rsquo;t, fingers firmly crossed of course.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/car-sales-remain-in-slow-growth-mode--oems-look-to-january-to-jumpstart-numbers-41718"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Car sales remain in slow growth mode, OEMs look to January to jump-start numbers&nbsp;</span></a></strong></p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/COMMERCIAL%20VEHICLE%20SALES%20IN%20DECEMBER%202018.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 232px;" title=""></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[After sustained sales in the first 7 months of FY2019, the critical medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment sees de-growth for the second straight month in December, due to high inventory levels and impact of the revised axle-load norm.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8ccd7a33-59a0-4d58-9ab1-05288dc322a9.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8ccd7a33-59a0-4d58-9ab1-05288dc322a9.jpg&h=485&w=73541720https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&hcv-sales skid for-second-month-in-a-row-41720
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&hcv-sales skid for-second-month-in-a-row-41720Wed, 02 Jan 2019 17:41:00Delhi government begins trials of electric buses from Olectra-BYD<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/45656255-756a-4583-b13e-c8e8bda5ef5f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a move to combat the increasing pollution levels in the capital city of India, the State Government of Delhi today initiated the trials of Olectra-BYD&rsquo;s 12 Meter electric bus &ndash; eBuzz K9 with a 35+1 (Driver) seating capacity. The &lsquo;Made in India&rsquo; eBuzz K9 buses from Olectra-BYD was flagged off by Kailash Gahlot, Transport Minister of Delhi from Delhi Secretariat.</strong></p>
<p>These trials, which will be conducted for 3 months, will enable the authorities to evaluate the efficiency and competency of the buses in the standard road conditions of Delhi. Under an endeavour to promote usage of zero-emission electric vehicles, Delhi government aims to induct electric buses in the public transport system.</p>
<p>According to a study from the World Health Organization, 9 out of every 10 people in the world breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants and kills 7 million people each year. It further highlighted that air pollution is mainly responsible for&nbsp;non-communicable diseases (NCDs),&nbsp;causing 24 percent of all adult deaths from heart disease,&nbsp;25 percent from stroke, 43 percent from chronic obstructive&nbsp;pulmonary disease and 29 percent from lung cancer.&nbsp;</p>
<p>N&nbsp;Naga Satyam, executive director &ndash; Olectra Greentech&nbsp;commented, &ldquo;As a part of our commitment to contribute to the efforts of ensuring a healthy environment to the public, these Delhi trials is yet another step towards the conversion of fossil fueled vehicles to a zero-emission transport option. Olectra BYD buses are proven successful in all the terrains across the country. Olectra-BYD is the only one player in India which has its electric buses commercially running in 4 states and we aim to continue our leadership in the eBus segment.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="eBuzz K9 electric bus from Olectra-BYD " src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Zero%20Emmission%20and%20%20Noise%20free%20Electric%20Bus%20-%20eBuzz%20K9%20-%20from%20Olectra-BYD%20start%20trials%20in%20Delhi%20on%20Thursday%2027th%20December%202018.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="eBuzz K9 electric bus from Olectra-BYD "></p>
<p>Zero emission<em> and &nbsp;Noise free Electric Bus - eBuzz K9 - from Olectra-BYD start trials in Delhi</em></p>
<p>eBuzz K9 model is powered by a lithium-ion iron phosphate battery providing an&nbsp;ability to run up to 300 km on a single recharge. The company claims that high power AC charging enables the battery to recharge in 3-4 hours. The bus comes with &lsquo;Dual in-wheel&rsquo; motor solution with integrated regenerated braking recovers 30 percent of lost braking energy. The bus features front &amp; rear air suspension with &#39;Monocoque Chassis&#39;.&nbsp;It has a kneeling mechanism that provides comfortable boarding to differently-abled and elderly passengers.</p>
<p>Olectra-BYD buses are designed and manufactured under a strategic tie-up between Olectra Greentech and BYD Auto Industry &ndash; one of the largest electric vehicle company in the world.</p>
<p>The Electric Buses from Olectra-BYD is already commercially running in Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Telangana and Kerala. Olectra-BYD buses claim to have completed more than 500,000 km on Indian roads and have reduced CO2 emissions up to 524 tonnes till now which would have required 2,619 trees instead.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectra-greentech-supplies-electric-buses-to-telangana-state-40615"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Olectra Greentech supplies electric buses to Telangana State</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectra-greentech-launches-first-locally-manufactured-luxury-ebus-40568"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Olectra Greentech launches first locally manufactured luxury e-bus</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Under an endeavour to promote usage of zero-emission electric vehicles, Delhi government aims to induct electric buses in the public transport system.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/45656255-756a-4583-b13e-c8e8bda5ef5f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/45656255-756a-4583-b13e-c8e8bda5ef5f.jpg&h=485&w=73541710https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/delhi-government-begins-trials-of-electric-buses-from-olectrabyd-41710
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/delhi-government-begins-trials-of-electric-buses-from-olectrabyd-41710Thu, 27 Dec 2018 16:14:00Maruti Suzuki recalls 5,900 Super Carry SCVs to inspect fuel filter<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fed28927-4f19-4465-a8d0-9c9ffb15fb89.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Maruti Suzuki India has issued a recall for 5,900 Super Carry commercial vehicles, manufactured at its plant between April 26, 2018 and August 1, 2018, to inspect them for a possible defect in the fuel filter. The recall includes vehicles in which the fuel filter has been replaced in-field during this period.</strong></p>
<p>Starting today, owners of the 5,900 Super Carrys will be contacted by Maruti Suzuki dealers for inspection and replacement of the faulty part free of cost. Recall campaigns are undertaken globally to rectify faults that may be potential safety defects.</p>
<p>This is the <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-clocks-bestever-sales-of-super-carry-small-cv-in-september-40883"><span style="color:#ff0000;">second recall for the Maruti SCV. On October 3, 2018, Maruti had recalled 640 Super Carrys to inspect for a possible defect in the fuel pump assembly</span></a>. These vehicles have been manufactured between January 20, 2018 and July 14, 2018. Recall campaigns are undertaken globally to rectify faults that may be potential safety defects.</p>
<p>Even as Maruti Suzuki India continues to maintain its stranglehold over the passenger vehicle market, its entry vehicle into the small commercial vehicle (SCV) market &ndash; the Super Carry &ndash; is beginning to see sales pick up, albeit slowly. In November 2018, the Super Carry clocked its best-ever monthly sales yet &ndash;&nbsp;2,152. Its previous best was in September 2018 with 2,038 units. Till end-November 2018, a total of 23,524 Super Carrys have been sold in India.</p>
<p>Launched in August 2016, it was expected the 793cc, diesel-engined Super Carry would immediately make a strong connect with SCV buyers, riding on Maruti&rsquo;s USP of affordability, quality aftersales and the company&rsquo;s mass-market appeal. The company too stepped gingerly into the CV field, rolling out the Super Carry initially in only three markets &ndash; Ahmedabad,&nbsp;Kolkata, and&nbsp;Ludhiana &ndash; at a price of Rs 401,000, with plans to gradually expand across the country.</p>
<p>Maruti Suzuki has invested about Rs 300 crore in the Super Carry project. The LCV is powered by a 793cc lightweight and compact two-cylinder diesel engine, which develops peak power of 32bhp at 3500rpm and max torque of 75 NM at 2000rpm. The vehicle, which has a five-speed manual transmission, delivers fuel efficiency of 22.07 kilometres per litre and has a maximum speed of 80kph. Its payload is 740kg in all terrain.&nbsp; Other product highlights are a 2110mm wheelbase, a lower loading bay and wider deck that offers ample loading space to carry higher loads in a single trip. The Super Carry is offered with a warranty of 2 years / 72,000km.</p>
<p>Competition in the 2T mini-truck segment has increased also because overall numbers are reducing with buyers favoring higher-tonnage vehicles of up to 3.5T to meet the boom in last-mile delivery.</p>
<![CDATA[The 5,900 Super Carrys, manufactured between April 26, 2018 and August 1, 2018, are to be inspected for a possible defect in the fuel filter.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fed28927-4f19-4465-a8d0-9c9ffb15fb89.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fed28927-4f19-4465-a8d0-9c9ffb15fb89.jpg&h=485&w=73541695https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-recalls-5-900-super-carry-scvs-to-inspect-fuel-filter-41695
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-recalls-5-900-super-carry-scvs-to-inspect-fuel-filter-41695Wed, 26 Dec 2018 11:05:00Promoted | Mahindra Truck & Bus assures 24x7 mobility across India <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8f5e3e10-2233-49ac-afd8-6cd9fca8d0e5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Among the sectors enjoying strong demand </strong><strong>is</strong><strong> the commercial vehicle industry, which is also seen as the barometer of the economy. Given the sales numbers in the domestic market for the past year, the Indian commercial vehicle industry is firmly driving on growth road.</strong></p>
<p>Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus, India&#39;s leading full-range commercial vehicle manufacturer, is playing a big role in the transition of the domestic commercial vehicle industry. The company has a robust and expansive product portfolio that addresses every segment &ndash; from 3.5-tonne GVW to 49-tonne GVW.</p>
<p>Mahindra&#39;s Heavy Commercial Vehicle range has been engineered for Indian requirements with the underlying philosophy of &lsquo;Made in India, Made for India&#39;. Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus has a strong position in this segment and currently has over 40,000 HCV trucks plying on Indian roads.</p>
<p>In addition to offering a range of superior products, Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus is also ensuring full-fledged aftersales support, which is critical to truck owners and fleet operators. The company&#39;s latest offering &ndash; the Blazo X &ndash; comes with the unique assurance of &#39;Get more mileage or Give the truck back&#39;.</p>
<p>The new Blazo X benefits from improved efficiencies in the vehicle&rsquo;s air management system, rolling characteristics and the vehicle&rsquo;s rotating parts among others. The new Blazo X will be available in all platforms &ndash; haulage, tractor-trailer and tipper &ndash; and is equipped with the Blazo&rsquo;s FuelSmart technology. The company says the new Blazo X offers an additional 5 percent mileage over its predecessor, thereby adding to the Blazo&rsquo;s proposition of best value-for-money brand, mileage superiority and low cost of ownership.</p>
<p>The Blazo X also benefits from the&nbsp;new axle load norms as the modern truck comes with higher power-to-weight ratio and better aggregates that help transport additional loads with ease. Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus&nbsp;offers a 6-year or 600,000km&nbsp;Transferable Warranty, which is an industry first and a very cost-effective AMC, lowest cost of ownership and a powerful insurance package &ndash; MCOVER.</p>
<p>Providing strong support to the Mahindra truck operator is India&rsquo;s first multi-lingual 24s7 helpline &ndash; NOW &ndash;manned by technical experts to provide instant support to customers and drivers. The NOW mobile service vans and mobile workshops further add to the reach and agility of the company&rsquo;s support network. This is in addition to its aftersales service and spares network which now includes 93-plus 3S dealerships, 149 authorised service centres, 32 M-Parts Plazas, 2,900 roadside assistance points and a 2,000-strong spares network on important trucking routes.</p>
<p>All-round and 24x7 support is what Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus assures the customer. On the Delhi-Mumbai Corridor, the company offers a two-hour breakdown assistance guarantee. In the case of spare parts, it offers a guarantee that if the parts plaza or the dealer don&rsquo;t have certain fast-moving maintenance parts in stock, Mahindra will provide them free to the customer. This guarantee is available at more than 100 locations in India.</p>
<p>Every truck buyer or user seeks high uptime, low maintenance cost, quicker turnaround time and a comfortable cabin. The new Mahindra Blazo X range not only meets these requirements but exceeds expectations.</p>
<p>Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus, in fact, guarantees that a customer&rsquo;s vehicle will be out of the workshop (except in accident cases) within 36 hours or the company will pay a penalty of Rs 3,000 per day. Proof enough of the company&rsquo;s strong belief in its trucks.&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The new Blazo X offers an additional 5 percent mileage over its predecessor, thereby adding to the Blazo’s proposition of best value-for-money brand, mileage superiority and low cost of ownership.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8f5e3e10-2233-49ac-afd8-6cd9fca8d0e5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/8f5e3e10-2233-49ac-afd8-6cd9fca8d0e5.jpg&h=485&w=73541687https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/promoted--mahindra-truck-&-bus-assures-24x7-mobility-across-india-41687
https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/promoted--mahindra-truck-&-bus-assures-24x7-mobility-across-india-41687Mon, 24 Dec 2018 13:08:00Goenka Electric Motor Vehicles unveils e-rickshaw at EV expo 2018<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5a6defe0-ee81-4c05-a53e-869e3d4f260c.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Goenka Electric Motor Vehicles (GEM), a leading manufacturer of e-rickshaws in the country today announced that it would invest $5 million (Rs 35 crore) in 2019 to increase its production capacity. The announcement was made during the launch of Super King, an electric autorickshaw at the&nbsp;EV Expo 2018 that kicked off today at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The vehicle was launched by Anant Geete, Union minister for Heavy Industries and Public Sector Enterprises.</strong></p>
<p>The company says at present it has a production capacity of 40,000 e-rickshaws annually and has recently received an order for 500 e-rickshaw&rsquo;s from Essel Infratech. It is also the first Indian company to export e-rickshaws to Africa &ndash; 250 vehicles that were gifted by the government of India to the Senegal government.</p>
<p>GEM claims that the lightweight vehicles ensure increased battery life and enable easy driving. The ownership cost is claimed to be 40 percent lower than in comparison to autos that run on internal combustible engines.</p>
<p>Commenting on the launch of Super King, Zafar Equbal, CEO of Goenka Electric Motor Vehicles, said, &ldquo;GEM believes in innovation and we are pioneers in the electric vehicle space in India. Since our foray into e-rickshaw space, GEM has emerged as the leader in the sector and our products are available through our 150 dealers across the country. We are adding an additional 200 dealers in the coming year and we expect our products to be available to an even wider consumer set. Our products are developed to the highest standards, utilising exceptional quality material and components. The newly launched Super King vehicle is not just an environment and user-friendly vehicle but is also exceedingly energy efficient and has high load tolerance to endure extreme conditions. And we hope, like all our previous variants, Super King too will delight the customers with great performance.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/keto-to-invest-$10-million-for-manufacturing-erickshaws-in-india-41670"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Keto to invest $10 million </span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/keto-to-invest-$10-million-for-manufacturing-erickshaws-in-india-41670"><span style="color:#ff0000;">for</span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/keto-to-invest-$10-million-for-manufacturing-erickshaws-in-india-41670"><span style="color:#ff0000;"> manufacturing e-auto in India</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The company claims to have a production capacity of 40,000 annually and was also the first company to export e-rickshaws to Africa.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5a6defe0-ee81-4c05-a53e-869e3d4f260c.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5a6defe0-ee81-4c05-a53e-869e3d4f260c.JPG&h=485&w=73541674https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/goenka-electric-motor-vehicles-unveils-erickshaw-at-ev-expo-2018-41674
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/goenka-electric-motor-vehicles-unveils-erickshaw-at-ev-expo-2018-41674Fri, 21 Dec 2018 18:16:00HAVI-Scania to run 16 gas-fueled vehicles for McDonald’s in Spain<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1599eb65-d9ac-4695-9087-893d0b411b89.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>HAVI, a global, privately owned<em>&nbsp;supply chain company, plans to add </em>14 gas-fueled vehicles from Scania to McDonald&rsquo;s supply chain in Spain before 2019. HAVI is McDonald&rsquo;s leading logistics provider that distributes products to its restaurants from its distribution </strong><strong>centers</strong><strong> in Madrid and Barcelona. 12 of them will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and two will run on compressed natural gas (CNG).</strong></p>
<p>The trucks are designed to generate virtually zero air pollution and significantly reduce carbon emissions in cities. LNG and CNG reduces carbon emissions by about 20 percent. With gas engines, the McDonald&rsquo;s supply chain is also future-proof for liquified and compressed biogas which can be blended into the natural gas or replace it entirely, enabling possible reductions of CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent ( according to <em>Natural &amp; bio Gas Vehicle Association (NGVA Europe))</em>, once broadly available in the market.</p>
<p>Equipped with a low-noise engine and cooling equipments, the trucks are claimed to be much quieter than conventional delivery vehicles, helping to further reduce the impact of urban deliveries. In Madrid, the vehicles will be fitted with special electrically-driven cooling equipment to cut carbon emissions and noise levels even further.</p>
<p>McDonald&rsquo;s logistics network transports food products more than 250 million miles every year.&nbsp;McDonald&rsquo;s is working with its suppliers and their partners to minimise the environmental footprint on its logistics activities. In March 2018, McDonald&rsquo;s became the first restaurant company in the world to address global climate change by setting a verified target by the Science Based Target initiative to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>The HAVI-Scania greener fuels roadmap aligns directly with MOVALT, a Spanish government scheme that promotes the transition of road transport fleets to low-emission vehicles. This initiative supports McDonald&rsquo;s &lsquo;Scale for Good&rsquo; initiative, focusing on priority areas to drive industry-wide change on some of the most pressing environmental and social challenges the world is facing today: Beef Sustainability, Commitment to Famillies, Climate Action, Packaging &amp; Recycling, and Youth Opportunity. The companies are accelerating the five-year roadmap that aims to cut CO2 emissions from the restaurant chain&rsquo;s delivery vehicles.</p>
<p>John Alves, managing director, McDonald&rsquo;s Spain, says, &ldquo;Innovation is absolutely critical to our sustainability journey and to use our scale for good. Our work with companies like HAVI and Scania takes a proactive approach to finding and implementing more sustainable supply chain solutions, and contributes to our global supply chain and sustainability strategy.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rafael Gómez, senior vice president, operations and freight management, HAVI says, &ldquo;As McDonald&rsquo;s lead logistics provider, we have the clear commitment to support the business&rsquo;s Scale for Good and all their associated sustainability initiatives. We want to be a frontrunner at changing towards new standards for urban deliveries and implementing specific measures to benefit the environment and communities where we operate.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Sebastian Figueroa, managing director, Scania Iberia says, &ldquo;This partnership is an example of how transport companies, logistic provider and trucks manufacturers can work together to lead the shift towards a sustainable transport system. It is encouraging to see more and more customers and customers&rsquo; customers demanding this type of solution.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[HAVI will use Scania’s alternate fuel vehicles for delivering products to McDonald’s chain of restaurants in Spain.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1599eb65-d9ac-4695-9087-893d0b411b89.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1599eb65-d9ac-4695-9087-893d0b411b89.jpg&h=485&w=73541665https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/haviscania-to-run-16-gasfueled-vehicles-for-mcdonald’s-in-spain-41665
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/haviscania-to-run-16-gasfueled-vehicles-for-mcdonald’s-in-spain-41665Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:00:00Ashok Leyland gets nod for merging LCV units with itself<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3f28be50-b3d7-4071-820d-7b854a6cbe66.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The country&#39;s second largest CV maker, Ashok Leyland has announced that it has got approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Chennai for merging its light commercial vehicle businesses with itself.</strong></p>
<p>Earlier this year, Ashok Leyland had decided to merge its light commercial vehicle subsidiaries --&nbsp;Ashok Leyland Vehicles, Ashok Leyland Technologies and Ashley Powertrain&nbsp; -- with itself to consolidate its LCV businesses and facilitate focused growth, achieve operational efficiency, integrate synergies and enable better supervision of the businesses.</p>
<p>In 2016, the company had completely acquired the stake from its erstwhile JV partner Nissan. The former JV saw Ashok Leyland procure a 51 percent stake in Ashok Leyland Vehicles and Ashley Powertrain, while it had 50 percent stake in Ashok Leyland Technologies.</p>
<p>With the company getting approval from NCLT, consolidating all the three businesses will&nbsp;enable better productive and improved utilisation of resources, along with bringing down cost and improving operating efficiencies.</p>
<![CDATA[Consolidating all the three businesses with enable better productive and improved utilisation of resources, along with bringing down cost and improving operating efficiencies]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3f28be50-b3d7-4071-820d-7b854a6cbe66.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3f28be50-b3d7-4071-820d-7b854a6cbe66.jpg&h=485&w=73541664https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-gets-nod-for-merging-lcv-units-with-itself-41664
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-gets-nod-for-merging-lcv-units-with-itself-41664Fri, 21 Dec 2018 11:47:00Wabco secures $950 million order from global CV OEM<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc4343ec-e45d-4e71-bb08-4d40a994bbe2.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Wabco Holdings, the leading global supplier of braking control systems and other advanced technologies has signed a $950 million (Rs 6,655 crore)&nbsp;long-term agreement with one of the world&rsquo;s leading manufacturer&nbsp;of commercial vehicles. </strong></p>
<p>Under the eight-year agreement, Wabco will equip two of the original equipment manufacturer&rsquo;s (OEM) brands with its leading braking,&nbsp;advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)&nbsp;and efficiency technologies.</p>
<p>This latest multi-year agreement could confirm Wabco as the OEM&rsquo;s sole supplier for&nbsp;electronic braking systems (EBS)&nbsp;in Europe and&nbsp;anti-lock braking systems (ABS)&nbsp;in Brazil. Wabco will also supply conventional valves to support both braking systems and will further provide&nbsp;air-disc brakes (ADB), electronically controlled air suspension (ECAS), actuators, and its next generation, cost-optimised, lighter&nbsp;integrated pedal units (IPU).</p>
<p>Additionally, WABCO will supply&nbsp;air compressors&nbsp;for the OEM&rsquo;s engine brand while supporting the expansion of the engine&rsquo;s availability in the U.S. and Brazil with local production and global engineering capabilities. During the course of the agreement, Wabco will also supply its next-generation Optimised Power Reduction (OPR) single-piston compressor and its new clutch solution that is intended for enhanced fuel efficiency.</p>
<p>As part of the wide-ranging agreement, the OEM is also confirmed as Wabco&rsquo;s lead customer for its next generation&nbsp;&lsquo;OnGuardACTIVE&rsquo;Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) solution with series production planned for 2019. Featuring a new radar sensor which offers the commercial vehicle industry&rsquo;s longest radar detection range, as well as the widest near-range field of view,</p>
<p>Wabco&rsquo;s OnGuardACTIVE can now provide up to full autonomous emergency braking on moving and stationary vehicles from a highway speed of up to 80 kph&ndash; even in poor visibility conditions. WABCO is one of the leading OEMs for collision mitigation systems and ADAS, with more than 450,000 OnGuard safety systems sold worldwide.</p>
<p>As its full system supplier of EBS and ADAS, Wabco will additionally equip the OEM&rsquo;s new electric vehicles. Wabco is also closely collaborating with the OEM on its platooning program. Wabco and the OEM are additionally both contributing to the&nbsp;&lsquo;ENSEMBLE&rsquo; innovation consortium, co-funded by the European Union, which is seeking to develop and demonstrate multi-brand truck platooning in Europe.</p>
<p>Nick Rens, Wabco president, EMEA, said, &ldquo;This significant and wide-ranging business agreement powerfully demonstrates Wabco&lsquo;s pioneering global braking and ADAS leadership as well as our ability to serve the diverse advanced vehicle safety and efficiency requirements of leading global commercial vehicle manufacturers.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wabco-to-supply-braking-tech-and-adas-for-hino-trucks%E2%80%99-new-hd-model-in-n%C2%A0america-40497"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Wabco to supply braking tech and ADAS for Hino Trucks&rsquo; new HD model in N America</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/wabco-to-supply-heavy-duty-power-steering-system-to-tata-motors-40164"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Wabco to supply heavy duty power steering system to Tata Motors</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wabco-and-valeo-ink-mou-for-adas-sensor-technologies-for-cv-industry-40740"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Wabco and Valeo ink MoU for ADAS sensor technologies for CV industry</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/wabco-launches-braking-safety-solutions-trailers-india-28808"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Wabco launches braking and safety solutions for trailers in India &nbsp;</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Wabco will supply the CV OEM with EBS, ABS, ADB, ECAS, actuators, IPUs and even its upcoming electric vehicles.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Auto Components, Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc4343ec-e45d-4e71-bb08-4d40a994bbe2.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc4343ec-e45d-4e71-bb08-4d40a994bbe2.jpg&h=485&w=73541662https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wabco-secures-$950-million-order-from-global-cv-oem-41662
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/wabco-secures-$950-million-order-from-global-cv-oem-41662Fri, 21 Dec 2018 10:51:00Hyundai partners with Global Group to strengthen CV portfolio globally<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0be4ddaf-ea77-4a7f-819c-62c69ba25443.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Hyundai Motor Company and Global Group of Algeria will jointly produce Hyundai&rsquo;s commercial vehicles in Algeria as Hyundai continues to expand its foothold in commercial vehicle businesses around the world.&nbsp;Under the agreement, Hyundai and Global Group will establish a new plant in the city of Batna, Algeria to produce its major commercial vehicle models, including the Xcient, Mighty, Solati and County.</strong></p>
<p>The new plant is expected to assemble the aforementioned models from 2020 with an initial annual capacity of about 6,500 units. Hyundai will also strengthen its sales and customer services networks through the joint venture.</p>
<p>The signing ceremony was held today in Algiers, Algeria&rsquo;s capital, with attendees including Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, and South Korea&#39;s Prime Minister Nak-yon Lee, as the two nations agreed to strengthen economic and industrial cooperation.</p>
<p>Don Ho Choi, director and head of commercial vehicle export division at Hyundai Motor said, &ldquo;The joint venture will help Hyundai Motor to better serve Algerian customers with products and services that are specifically developed to meet their needs. Through this partnership, Hyundai will build a momentum for further economic and industrial cooperation between Korea and Algeria.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Hyundai has been in collaboration with Global Group since 2016, which has been a crucial factor in expanding its presence in the Algerian commercial vehicle market in a very short period of time. Hyundai claims that it has been the top-selling commercial vehicle brand in the country since 2017 and expects to blossom to a total of about 6,000 units this year, claiming nearly half the market.</p>
<p>According to Hyundai, the commercial vehicle market in Algeria has grown rapidly in recent years with the country&rsquo;s firm economic growth based on stable exports of oil and natural gas. Various developments and construction projects have also helped bolster demands for commercial vehicles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Market experts forecast annual demand for commercial vehicles in Algeria to grow to as much as 22,000 units by 2025, nearly doubling from the 12,000 units produced this year. Hyundai claims that last year&rsquo;s industry demand was approximately 8,000 units and Hyundai accounted for about 46 percent of the market with sales amounting to approximately 3,700 units.</p>
<![CDATA[The partnership will enable Hyundai to establish a new plant in the city of Batna in Algeria to produce some major CVs.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0be4ddaf-ea77-4a7f-819c-62c69ba25443.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0be4ddaf-ea77-4a7f-819c-62c69ba25443.jpg&h=485&w=73541612https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/hyundai-partners-with-global-group-to-strengthen-cv-portfolio-globally-41612
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/hyundai-partners-with-global-group-to-strengthen-cv-portfolio-globally-41612Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:18:00Toyota deploys vehicle maintenance solution for Grab<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/defe9d24-8c18-4d1a-a1ce-c9d60e4b77a9.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p></p>
<p><strong>Toyota Motor and Singapore-based ride-hailing service Grab have&nbsp;announced a deeper collaboration among them, with the introduction of &#39;Total-care service&#39; for Toyota&rsquo;s vehicles operating in Grab. </strong></p>
<p>The solution is aimed at enhancing the platform safety and also provide driver partners with the cost-efficient and timely maintenance schedule. Grab will incorporate 1,500 Toyota cars in Singapore with an in-vehicle data transmission device called &#39;TransLog&#39;. The collected data will be sent to a mobility services platform, which is an information infrastructure developed by Toyota for vehicle connectivity.</p>
<p>Through this device, a timely notification will be sent to the driver if the tyres or the brakes are wearing and whether it is due for maintenance. The data collected through this service can be used to develop telematics-based insurance products which could reduce the cost of insurance premiums for Grab drivers.</p>
<iframe width="843" height="474" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KneNYxFqCCs" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>The partners say maintenance schedules for each vehicle will be fully optimised, based on driving and vehicle condition data. Intensive Care Stall (ICS) has been implemented at Borneo Motors (BMS), the authorised Toyota dealer in Singapore.</p>
<p>Making use of TPS know-how, ICS achieves ultra-efficient maintenance services, reducing vehicle downtime and maintenance costs.</p>
<p>At the event, Russel Cohen, Grab&rsquo;s regional head of operations claimed that by implementing Toyota&rsquo;s efficient operation practices, the ride-hailing vehicles saw five times more mileage than privately-owned cars. He announced that they would be increasing the share of Toyota vehicles on Grab&rsquo;s fleet across Asia by 25 percent&nbsp;by 2020.</p>
<p>Ming Maa, president of Grab, said: "We are excited to work with Toyota to roll out the Total-care Service to our Grab Rental fleet. The ability to meld data analytics with vehicle maintenance will make our rental fleet even safer for our driver-partners, and go toward achieving our goal to raise transport safety standards in the region."</p>
<p>Shigeki Tomoyama, Toyota executive vice-president and president of Toyota&#39;s in-house Connected Company, said: "The Total-care Service will help enhance the operational efficiencies of ride-hailing companies and provide even safer, more secure, and better-quality mobility services for drivers and end-users. Starting from Singapore, we aim to gradually expand this initiative globally, including other Southeast Asian countries."</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/yamaha-makes-strategic-investment-in-grab--partners-motorcycle-ridehailing-service-41561"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Yamaha makes strategic investment in Grab, partners motorcycle ride-hailing service</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-invests-usd1-billion-grab-looks-advance-mobility-service-strategy-29911"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Toyota invests $1 billion in Grab, looks to advance mobility as </span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-invests-usd1-billion-grab-looks-advance-mobility-service-strategy-29911"><span style="color:#ff0000;">service</span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-invests-usd1-billion-grab-looks-advance-mobility-service-strategy-29911"><span style="color:#ff0000;"> strategy</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[1,500 Toyota cars in Grab’s Singapore fleet will be equipped with in-vehicle data transmission device called 'TransLog' that would track the running condition of the vehicle and notify accordingly.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/defe9d24-8c18-4d1a-a1ce-c9d60e4b77a9.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/defe9d24-8c18-4d1a-a1ce-c9d60e4b77a9.jpg&h=485&w=73541610https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-deploys-vehicle maintenance-solution-for-grab-41610
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/toyota-deploys-vehicle maintenance-solution-for-grab-41610Tue, 18 Dec 2018 13:24:00Mahindra focuses on European agro markets with acquisition of Sampo Rosenlew<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c7ca1327-7000-4751-833d-a177e42d49cb.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra has acquired Sampo Rosenlew, a Finland-based manufacturer of combine harvesters and forest machinery with market presence in Europe, CIS (commonwealth of Independent States) and Algeria. As per the agreement, Mahindra has increased its percentage of share from 35 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> to 49.04 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong>. The total acquisition cost is Euro 46,59,534, which is equivalent to around Rs 37.74 crore.</strong></p>
<p>Founded in 1853, the Finnish company claims to be developing a new range of combine harvesters for developing markets and for specialty crops. Through this acquisition, Mahindra aims to strengthen its focus on the combine and specialty harvester business in Asia, Africa and Eurasian economic union countries and Latin America.</p>
<p>Sampo has reported a turnover of Euro 52 million (Rs 420 crore) during the period of October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018.</p>
<![CDATA[Mahindra looks to increase its presence in combine harvesters in the global markets by raising its stake in the Finnish company.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c7ca1327-7000-4751-833d-a177e42d49cb.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/c7ca1327-7000-4751-833d-a177e42d49cb.jpg&h=485&w=73541606https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-focuses-on-european-agro-markets-with-acquisition-of-sampo-rosenlew-41606
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-focuses-on-european-agro-markets-with-acquisition-of-sampo-rosenlew-41606Tue, 18 Dec 2018 10:14:00Tata Motor launches new ILCV range in Bhutan<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7311afae-68d3-4e56-9807-9ba2a0694c65.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Domestic CV major, Tata Motors has expanded its product offerings in the neighbouring country, Bhutan by launching launched four new models in the Intermediate and Light Commercial Vehicles (I&amp;LCV) range -&nbsp;LPT 912, LPK 912, LPK 1212&nbsp;and LPT1412 - in Bhutan.</strong></p>
<p>The models come packed with Common Rail Diesel Injection (CRDI) engine technology, which it says enhances fuel efficiency, offers superior design and more reliable aggregates, all the while ensuring lowest cost of ownership, higher uptime and increased driver comfort.</p>
<p>Tata Motors&#39; says with very competitive prices of&nbsp;these models comprising light-trucks 5-tonne to 13-tonne GVW and a new tipper range from 3-CuM to 6.5-CuM will be launched across the country, in a phased manner.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Asif Shamim, regional manager (SAARC), International Business - Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors said:&ldquo;It is our constant endeavour to provide Bhutanese customers with world class products and services. Our latest range of I&amp;LCV trucks offers unmatched performance, comfort and safety, along with versatility of various load body lengths and tipper capacities to cater to a varied number of applications. These trucks are designed and tested for the conditions in Bhutan and will deliver power, performance and&nbsp;profitability to our customers, exceeding all their expectations."</p>
<p>Yeshey Seldon, MD, STCBL, said:&nbsp;&ldquo;Over the years, Tata Motors has expanded their position in the Bhutanese market and we will continue to support these products with the best purchase and high quality after-sales service experience. The new CR range of I&amp;LCV trucks with its promising features strengthens our belief in Tata Motors vehicles, which are known to offer high value proposition to the Bhutanese customer, for their utility, ruggedness and fuel-efficiency.&rdquo;</p>
<![CDATA[Tata Motors also plans to launch new tipper range in a phased manner.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7311afae-68d3-4e56-9807-9ba2a0694c65.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7311afae-68d3-4e56-9807-9ba2a0694c65.jpg&h=485&w=73541580https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motor-launches-new-ilcv-range-in-bhutan-41580
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/tata-motor-launches-new-ilcv-range-in-bhutan-41580Fri, 14 Dec 2018 12:15:00Scania and Renova developing fuel cell refuse truck<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9c9eef3e-8721-4caf-98ba-b18ae9bb5d2d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer, Scania and Renova, a Swedish waste handling company, for developing a fuel cell refuse truck together. The truck will feature a fully electrified powertrain as well an electrified compactor.</strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;We are highly interested in gaining more experience of fuel cells in actual customer operations. Fuel cells constitute a promising technology in the needed decarbonisation of transports,&rdquo; said Project Manager Marita Nilsson, Electric Powertrain Technology at Scania.</p>
<p>The company says refuse trucks often operate in residential areas in the early hours of morning. With reduced emissions and noise, electric vehicles are especially attractive in these areas. Renova and other waste handling companies have previously carried out trials with electric refuse trucks but this will be the first with fuel cells.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Electrification using fuel cells fuelled by hydrogen is a highly appealing alternative for heavy commercial vehicles such as refuse trucks. The trucks benefit from all the advantages of electrification while maintaining some of the best aspects of fossil-fuel operations, namely range, hours in service and payload,&rdquo; said Hans Zackrisson, Head of Development at Renova.</p>
<p>The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Swedish Energy Agency and Stockholm&rsquo;s Royal Institute of Technology and the fuel cell refuse truck is expected to be delivered by end-2019 or early- 2020.</p>
<p>Scania has previously announced that it is developing fuel cell technology in cooperation with the Norwegian food wholesaler Asko, which has opened its own production plant for sustainable hydrogen fuel. Scania is delivering four distribution fuel cell trucks with a range of 500 km to Asko.</p>
<![CDATA[The trucks benefit from all the advantages of electrification while maintaining some of the best aspects of fossil-fuel operations.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9c9eef3e-8721-4caf-98ba-b18ae9bb5d2d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9c9eef3e-8721-4caf-98ba-b18ae9bb5d2d.jpg&h=485&w=73541566https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/scania-and-renova-developing-fuel-cell-refuse-truck-41566
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/scania-and-renova-developing-fuel-cell-refuse-truck-41566Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:40:00Sonalika launches 2 new tractors at Kisan Pune Expo<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/295e5f15-3714-44dc-9d5a-c6c1ff99bf5d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Sonalika International Tractors displayed its heavy duty range of tractors at Kisan, Pune Expo. The display included two new ranges for the farming sector. The company claimed that it is the only company to offer </strong><strong>complete</strong><strong> product range from 20-120 HP to Maharashtra farmers.</strong></p>
<p>The company today launched two models in different HP category. The GT 28 in 28HP Category and RX 47 Sikander 4WD in 50HP category. Along with this the company displayed Rx 47 Sikander 2WD in 50HP category, DI 745III in 50HP category, Rx 750III Sikander in 55 HP category, Rx 50 Sikander in 52HP category, WT 60 4WD Sikander in 60HP category, WT 90 Sikander in 90 HP category.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Speaking on the occasion, Raman Mittal, executive director, Sonalika Group, said, &ldquo;This is a very prestigious exhibition where we have showcased our heavy duty product range from 28-90 HP. Today, we launched two technologically advanced tractors, GT28 and RX47 Sikander 4WD."</p>
<p>"GT 28 is smartly designed with dual PTO power and Dual lever hydraulics system to address various high-end applications and advanced spraying required in vineyard and orchards operations.&nbsp;RX 47 Sikander 4WD comes with advanced features like HDM Engine, CCS workspace, and&nbsp;Exso sensing," added Mittal.</p>
<p>Vivek Goyal, senior vice president, Sonalika Group said, &ldquo;Krishi Mela like Kisan Pune, is an important platform for us to connect with farmers and educate them about new technologies used in tractors that would help them as well as overall society. We have introduced a wide array of offers across various models to benefit the farmers of Maharashtra. Now with this 2 new launches, we are the only company to offer a complete product range from 20-120 HP to Maharashtra farmers. We are proud of our strong presence across Maharashtra with sales/service support available for farmers in the vicinity of almost every 50 km distance&rdquo;.</p>
<p>Kuldeep Singh, zonal head, Maharashtra for Sonalika Group, said, &ldquo;Maharashtra has over 50,000+ &nbsp;farmers and we are a dominant player here. It&rsquo;s a great opportunity to showcase the two tractors and we are pleased to offer a special price of Rs. 4.59 lakh (On road)&nbsp; price on GT 28 and Rs. 7.59 lakh(On road) on RX 47 Sikander 4WD, to all the customers who would book the tractors during these 5 days. Presently, we are offering a 5-year warranty for each tractor model to farmers which would offer hassle-free operations&rdquo;</p>
<p>The event saw an active participation of farmers where they witnessed the technology advantage range of Sonalika&rsquo;s heavy duty tractors.</p>
<![CDATA[With the two new launches at the Kisan, Pune Expo, the company claims to offer range from 20-120hp for Maharashtra's farmers]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/295e5f15-3714-44dc-9d5a-c6c1ff99bf5d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/295e5f15-3714-44dc-9d5a-c6c1ff99bf5d.jpg&h=485&w=73541565https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/sonalika-launches-2-new-tractors-at-kisan-pune-expo-41565
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/sonalika-launches-2-new-tractors-at-kisan-pune-expo-41565Thu, 13 Dec 2018 12:21:00Ashok Leyland and Elbit Systems partner for defense exports<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b2372e7a-5e59-4533-91a3-c4c2782ecf6e.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ashok Leyland, which is one of the largest suppliers of wheeled military vehicles to the Indian Army, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Elbit S</strong><strong>ystems</strong><strong>, an Israel-based international </strong><strong>defence</strong><strong> electronics company. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>As part of this agreement, Ashok Leyland will provide High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) for mounting Elbit systems&rsquo; artillery guns and systems. The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets. Ashok Leyland has expertise in design, manufacturing of logistic vehicles, combat support High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) and armoured vehicles for the defence forces.</p>
<p>Speaking on the new partnership, Vinod Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland, said, &ldquo;Ashok Leyland is proud to be associated with Elbit systems. We are certain this partnership will expand our reach globally. It underlines our capabilities of making and designing in India, for the world. This step is also in line with our strategy of increasing contribution from our defence business which will help us de-risk our overall business.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Resonating similar views, Amandeep Singh, head - Defense, Ashok Leyland, said, &ldquo;For over three decades, Ashok Leyland has been a vital part of our defence forces through our mobility solutions. Now, with this MoU, we will be able to compete on a global stage with global OEMs. Our strong focus on strategic global defence organisations to provide state-of-the-art mobility technology is being recognised. With Elbit as our partner, we seek to leverage the capabilities of both organisations and provide world-class mobility solutions across the globe.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Elbit Systems is a high-technology company that is globally engaged in a range of defence areas including land systems, artillery systems and platforms, howitzers, mortars and ammunition.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-to-support-design-and-development-of-main-battle-tanks-40500"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland to support design and development of Main Battle Tanks</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[As per the MoU signed between them, Ashok Leyland will provide HMVs for Elbit’s artillery guns and sytems.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b2372e7a-5e59-4533-91a3-c4c2782ecf6e.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b2372e7a-5e59-4533-91a3-c4c2782ecf6e.jpg&h=485&w=73541552https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-and-elbit-systems-partner-for-defense-exports-41552
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-and-elbit-systems-partner-for-defense-exports-41552Wed, 12 Dec 2018 10:29:00Knorr-Bremse acquires Hitachi Automotive’s CV steering biz in Japan and Thailand<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b9c2253-3411-41a1-a52f-cc6b9e359a7f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking systems and a leading supplier of other rail and commercial vehicle subsystems, today signed an agreement to acquire the commercial vehicle steering business (IPS) from Hitachi Automotive Systems in Japan and Thailand. The division is the leading supplier of power steering parts for commercial vehicles in Japan.</strong></p>
<p>"Knorr-Bremse has global experience with commercial vehicles in the fields of vehicle dynamics, driver assistance systems and the main related actuators, which means brakes and steering. The takeover of the commercial vehicle steering business from Hitachi will expand Knorr-Bremse&rsquo;s steering system portfolio and further enhance Knorr-Bremse&rsquo;s future potential as a global supplier for driver assistance and highly automated driving solutions," said Dr. Peter Laier, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Systems division.<br />
<br />
"With the expertise of Hitachi Automotive Systems on recirculating ball steering (RCB) gears and the torque overlay steering (TOS), Knorr-Bremse will strengthen the cooperation with Japanese commercial vehicle manufactuers through providing further support for their future highly automated driving vehicles. We also see good potential to use the acquired technology to support Chinese customers," added BaoPing Xu, Member of the Board of Directors of Knorr-Bremse Asia-Pacific (Holding) in charge of the Commercial Vehicle Systems business.<br />
<br />
With this transaction, Knorr-Bremse expects to become the leading supplier of recirculating ball steering (RCB) gears for commercial vehicles in Japan and executes the next step to become a global supplier for commercial vehicle steering systems. This will create a solid global basis for subsequent introduction of torque overlay systems (TOS) for automated driving functions. In addition, Knorr-Bremse will gain a better access to the Japanese and the Southeast Asian market and will have the opportunity to also provide further products of the business segment for commercial vehicles in these regions.<br />
<br />
Hitachi Automotive Systems&acute; commercial vehicle steering business is one of the world leading developers and suppliers of competitive, high-performance steering technology and manufactures hydraulic power steering for commercial vehicles ranging from pickup to heavy trucks to heavy-duty trucks. In 2017, the IPS business generated a turnover close to 100 million euros and has strong business relationships to Japanese OEMs. The sites in Japan and Thailand have a workforce of around 350 employees.<br />
<br />
Knorr-Bremse&nbsp;is the global market leader for braking systems and a leading supplier of other safety-critical rail and commercial vehicle subsystems. In 2017, Knorr-Bremse&rsquo;s two divisions together generated revenues of 6.2 billion euros (IFRS).</p>
<![CDATA[Acquiring Hitachi Automotive Systems’ Integral Power Steering will establish Knorr-Bremse as a relevant supplier of power steering parts for commercial vehicles]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b9c2253-3411-41a1-a52f-cc6b9e359a7f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5b9c2253-3411-41a1-a52f-cc6b9e359a7f.jpg&h=485&w=73541519https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/knorrbremse-acquires-hitachi-automotive’s-cv-steering-biz-in-japan-and-thailand-41519
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/knorrbremse-acquires-hitachi-automotive’s-cv-steering-biz-in-japan-and-thailand-41519Fri, 07 Dec 2018 17:11:00VE Commercial Vehicles sells 4,720 units in November 2018, down 4%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55547901-9c4a-49c3-9dae-e1e4c5a7cdfe.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>VE Commercial Vehicles (A Volvo Group and Eicher Motors joint venture) recorded sales of 4,720 units in November 2018 as compared to 4,916 units in November 2017, recording a decline of 4 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong>. This includes 4,602 units of&nbsp;Eicher brand and 118 units of </strong><strong>Volvo</strong><strong> brand.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Eicher branded trucks and buses&nbsp;have recorded sales of 4,602 units in November 2018 (YTD 45,009 units) as compared to 4,727 units in November 2017 (LYTD 36,169 units), representing a decline of 2.6 percent ( YTD growth at 24.4%).</p>
<p>In the domestic CV market, Eicher branded trucks &amp; buses have recorded sales of 3,817 units in November 2018 (YTD 38,778 units) as compared to 4062 units in November 2017 (LYTD 31,058 units) representing a decline of 6 percent (YTD growth at 24.9%).</p>
<p>On the Exports front, Eicher branded trucks &amp; buses have recorded sales of 785 units in November 2018 (YTD 6,231 units) as compared to 665 units in November 2017 (LYTD 5,111 units), representing a growth of 18 percent (YTD growth at 21.9%)</p>
<p>Volvo Trucks has recorded sales of 118 units in November 2018 (YTD 714 units) as compared to 189 units in November 2017 (LYTD 575 units), representing a decline of 37.6 percent (YTD growth at 24.2%).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/VECV%20november%202018_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 697px; height: 210px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Out of the total sales in the month, 4,602 units came from Eicher while Volvo brand contributed 118 units.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55547901-9c4a-49c3-9dae-e1e4c5a7cdfe.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55547901-9c4a-49c3-9dae-e1e4c5a7cdfe.jpg&h=485&w=73541500https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ve-commercial-vehicles-sells-4-720-units-in-november-2018--down-4-41500
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ve-commercial-vehicles-sells-4-720-units-in-november-2018--down-4-41500Thu, 06 Dec 2018 17:23:00M&M and Escorts report strong domestic growth in FES for Nov 18<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5083df89-0bb9-4c33-861b-5df88557b7e1.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra&rsquo;s Farm Equipment Sector (FES) has reported an 18 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> growth in its domestic sales for the month of November with 25,159 units. Escorts, in the same month, has reported a 54.6 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> growth with domestic sales clocking 7,641 units.</strong></p>
<p>Mahindra&rsquo;s cumulative domestic sales till the month of November were 242,733 units, a YoY growth of 10 percent. During the same period, Escorts reported a YoY growth of 25 percent in its domestic sales.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">The fall and the Rise</span></strong></p>
<p>Mahindra has reported a 54 percent decrease in its exports in the month of November with just 790 units in 2018 as against 1,723 units in 2017. Escorts, on the other hand, experienced a 104.5 percent growth in its exports with 186 more units sold in 2018 as against 2017.</p>
<p>Commenting on the month&rsquo;s performance, Rajesh Jejurikar, president - Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;In November, Mahindra FES registered a volume of 25,159 tractors in the domestic market with a growth of 18%. The total volume inclusive of exports stands at 25,949 tractors with a growth of 13%. Retail demand remained positive through the festive season. We expect the structural factors such as government&#39;s continued focus on rural and agriculture spends and momentum on key crop prices will ensure the demand uptick for tractors continues into Q4 of the current fiscal.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Mahindra%20and%20Escorts%20November%202018.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 639px; height: 268px;" title=""></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Escorts’ exports grows by 104 percent while Mahindra’s exports falls by 54 percent]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5083df89-0bb9-4c33-861b-5df88557b7e1.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/5083df89-0bb9-4c33-861b-5df88557b7e1.jpg&h=485&w=73541474https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&m-and-escorts-report-strong-domestic-growth-in-fes-for-nov-18-41474
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/m&m-and-escorts-report-strong-domestic-growth-in-fes-for-nov-18-41474Mon, 03 Dec 2018 15:00:00Updated Bajaj RE compact rickshaw to get new front styling and more tweaks. <div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/29615f89-5f67-4c46-860a-9c576b51fd75.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The updated Bajaj RE autorickshaw has been spied by us on test in Mumbai.&nbsp; Spotted near Sion, this test-mule had its front panel partially covered along with some masking on the front mudguard.&nbsp; While the vehicle sported a simple black paint and no </strong><strong>camouflage</strong><strong> which actually would help it blend with the sea of black Bajaj rickshaws in Mumbai.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
A closer inspection revealed that the test-mule sports the same front styling that was revealed recently on the Bajaj RE electric rickshaw showcased at the MOVE summit held in Delhi on 7th and 8th September.&nbsp;&nbsp; This confirms that the updated RE will get a sleeker front with elongated headlamps and a slightly larger mudguard for the front wheel.&nbsp; The test-mule also features a slightly different design for its top with see-through material used on the sides and an upright design without the curved roof seen on the standard models.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The test-mule was running on petrol-CNG powertrain and featured jerry cans placed on the rear seat for dead weight.&nbsp; Another interesting thing to note on this test-mule was the larger front and rear wheels that looked more like a straight lift from Bajaj&rsquo;s Maxima commercial vehicle range. However, it would be interesting to see whether these wheels make it to the production spec model.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Bajaj currently sells multiple models of the RE compact three-wheeler in India and also exports to many international markets.&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The test mule was spotted in the city of Mumbai. It comes with see-through materials on the side.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/29615f89-5f67-4c46-860a-9c576b51fd75.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/29615f89-5f67-4c46-860a-9c576b51fd75.jpg&h=485&w=73541473https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/updated-bajaj-re-compact-rickshaw-to-get-new-front-styling-and-more-tweaks-41473
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/updated-bajaj-re-compact-rickshaw-to-get-new-front-styling-and-more-tweaks-41473Mon, 03 Dec 2018 11:43:00TAFE and ISEKI to manufacture compact tractors in India<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e30dd750-b992-4ec6-a1ed-e4378ba962dd.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE), a leading tractor manufacturer by volumes and ISEKI &amp; Co., Japan&#39;s major agricultural machinery manufacturer for tractors, planting and harvesting machinery, and engines, inked an agreement for the manufacture of compact tractors in India.</strong></p>
<p>Under this agreement, ISEKI will offer product technology to TAFE for the manufacture of these products for the Indian market. The agreement will also cover sourcing of components/assemblies through TAFE, building on the volume advantage that TAFE offers. TAFE will offer ISEKI&rsquo;s premium light utility compact tractors in the 35-54 hp range in India. These multi-utility lightweight tractors with advanced features can be used for puddling operations, orchard and plantations land preparation, tilling, inter-cultivation and spraying applications to name a few. The tractors will be manufactured in TAFE&rsquo;s Madurai plant and expected to roll out by 2020.</p>
<p>Mallika Srinivasan, chairman and CEO &ndash; TAFE, said, &ldquo;This agreement brings together ISEKI&rsquo;s rich experience in the light utility compact tractor segment globally and TAFE&rsquo;s strong position in the Indian market, along with its strong manufacturing capability and robust supply chain, to offer Indian customers an international product range that will meet their requirements in new, emerging applications through a unique value proposition.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Kikuchi Akio, chairman of ISEKI, on signing this agreement said, &ldquo;We will enter into the largest tractor market in the world, India and the Indian subcontinent with greatest partner called TAFE. We&rsquo;ll promote technical alliances with TAFE by this agreement and collaborate with each other as important partners not only for India but also for our global strategy in long term. We believe our global strategy is founded by this cooperation with TAFE, and we hope we can contribute great relationship between three companies to promote global strategy together.&rdquo;</p>
<p>ISEKI &amp; Co was founded in 1926 in Matsuyama, Ehime. It is present in Japan, South East Asia, Australia and USA, and, are reputed for their quality and technology. ISEKI also manufactures tractors for AGCO, with whom TAFE shares a 50 year-old association, one of the longest partnerships in the tractor industry.</p>
<p>TAFE is said to be the second largest tractor manufacturers by volume in India. It reportedly has an annual sale of over 150,000 tractors in the country. TAFE is one of the leading exporters of tractors from India with a claimed turnover in excess of Rs 9,300 crore. TAFE manufactures a range of tractors in the sub 100 hp segment in both the air-cooled and water-cooled platforms, and markets them under its four brands - Massey Ferguson, TAFE, Eicher and the recently acquired Serbian tractor and agricultural equipment brand IMT &ndash; Industrija Mašina i Traktora.&nbsp;The company claims to have over 1000 strong distribution centres in the country.</p>
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<![CDATA[ISEKI will offer product technology to TAFE for the manufacture of the tractors in India.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e30dd750-b992-4ec6-a1ed-e4378ba962dd.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e30dd750-b992-4ec6-a1ed-e4378ba962dd.jpg&h=485&w=73541453https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tafe-and-iseki-to-manufacture-compact-tractors-in-india-41453
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tafe-and-iseki-to-manufacture-compact-tractors-in-india-41453Thu, 29 Nov 2018 17:58:00China looks to make trucking safer with life-saving AI vision<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cf75b46f-8e8c-43a2-9549-096574c083ce.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a bid to make its roads safer, China, the world&rsquo;s largest automobile market, is taking to artificial intelligence solutions. Israel-headquartered <a href="http://www.eyesight-tech.com/" target="_blank">Eyesight</a>, a leading provider of edge-based computer vision AI solutions for the automotive industry, has teamed up with top Chinese GPS and telematics firm Exsun to make trucking safer, helping commercial trucks comply with new Chinese regulations which came into place in order to reduce accidents caused by driver drowsiness and inattentiveness.</strong></p>
<p>More than a quarter of a million people a year &ndash; over 700 a day &ndash; are killed in traffic accidents in China, according to the WHO, and millions more are injured. Road accidents are the leading cause of death for residents of China aged 15-44. Accidents involving large vehicles like trucks are much more likely to be serious or fatal. Truck accidents are particularly devastating because of the sheer weight of the vehicle. Truck drivers have long dull drives, and a driver&rsquo;s attention can wander or they can get drowsy. According to the US Labor Department, being a truck driver is the deadliest job in America&nbsp;</p>
<p>Chinese authorities are demanding that trucking companies combat this danger. Shenzhen, one of China&rsquo;s largest and fastest-growing cities,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stc.gov.cn/JGDT/201810/t20181012_14211924.htm" target="_blank">recently passed a law</a>&nbsp;requiring all heavy trucks to have Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) installed by June 2019.</p>
<p>To meet these new safety requirements, Eyesight and Exsun have signed a multi-million dollar deal to produce an aftermarket Driver Monitoring System. Eyesight&rsquo;s camera and Computer Vision AI will be part of Exsun fleet management and telematics solutions, which are installed in hundreds of thousands of trucks. Eyesight&rsquo;s technology tracks the driver&#39;s gaze direction, pupil dilation, eye openness, blink rate and head position to determine in real-time if the driver is drowsy, inattentive or unfocused on the road.</p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="683" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FFh1HGg3FtY" width="1214"></iframe></p>
<p>Computer Vision company Eyesight makes cutting-edge technology to track a driver&#39;s gaze, pupils, eye openness, blink rate and more to tell if the driver is drowsy or inattentive. It&nbsp;is&nbsp;teaming up with&nbsp; GPS company Exsun to put the new tech into hundreds of thousands of trucks in China, to warn drowsy or distracted truck drivers.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Driver exhaustion and drowsiness are serious issues in the trucking industry,&rdquo; said Gideon Shmuel, CEO of Eyesight. &ldquo;With Exsun&rsquo;s help, our Driver Monitoring System will give Chinese truck drivers vital real-time alerts that will prevent accidents and save lives. The technology helps truckers and other large commercial vehicle drivers, protecting them and everyone they share the road with, all around the world.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/ezgif_com-video-to-gif_1.gif&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 414px;" title=""></p>
<p>Based in Israel, Eyesight creates advanced edge-based computer vision and AI solutions that improve daily life experiences in the car, home, and with other consumer electronics. The company&rsquo;s technology uses proprietary algorithms to deliver a range of applications, from user recognition and gaze tracking to active interactions using touch-free gesture control. With Eyesight&rsquo;s technology devices both &lsquo;see&rsquo; and &lsquo;understand&rsquo; their users, unlocking a world of enhanced user experiences.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/eyesight%E2%80%99s-incabin-ai-computer-vision-technology-into-cars-within-a-year-41110"><span style="color:#ff0000;">EyeSight&rsquo;s in-cabin AI computer vision technology into cars within a year</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[Israel’s Eyesight and China’s Exsun to jointly introduce aftermarket driver monitoring solution that will help trucking companies comply with new Chinese driver safety regulations ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cf75b46f-8e8c-43a2-9549-096574c083ce.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cf75b46f-8e8c-43a2-9549-096574c083ce.jpg&h=485&w=73541440https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/china-looks-to-make-trucking-safer-with-lifesaving-ai-vision-41440
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/china-looks-to-make-trucking-safer-with-lifesaving-ai-vision-41440Thu, 29 Nov 2018 11:28:00Electric start-up Rivian unveils pick-up truck to rival Tesla<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ef92f1e3-9070-4514-b35b-6c7b11c88124.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>American electric car start-up Rivian has revealed its first model, a go-anywhere pick-up truck called the R1T.</strong></p>
<p>Rivian is hoping to have the&nbsp;kind of impact Tesla has made&nbsp;in shaking up the established automotive set&nbsp;and believes it has found a niche with the creation of go-anywhere electric vehicles.</p>
<p>The five-seat R1T has been revealed ahead of the Los Angeles motor show, where it will be joined later in the week by a closely related seven-seat SUV called the R1S.</p>
<p>The&nbsp;first and second in a series of models eventually planned, they are built on a bespoke electric &lsquo;skateboard&rsquo; chassis&nbsp;that is modular and can be used on all different types and sizes of vehicles.</p>
<p>The R1T extends 5465mm, which is&nbsp;marginally longer than the Mercedes-Benz X-Class.</p>
<p>Rivian&#39;s battery pack is mounted in the floor of its platform. In the&nbsp;R1T, it will be good for a 300-mile range with a 130kWh capacity&nbsp;or up to 400 miles (643 kms) with the 180kWh &#39;mega pack&#39;. A base-level 105kWh model will follow within twelve months of launch.</p>
<p>Four electric motors, one for each wheel, give four-wheel drive. Each produces 197bhp. Total combined figures through the gearbox are 754bhp and 826lb ft in the 135kWh R1T, resulting in prodigious performance; it&rsquo;s claimed the truck can crack 0-60mph in just 3.0sec&nbsp;and 0-100mph in less than 7.0sec.</p>
<p>Double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension features, alongside air springs and adaptive dampers. Rivian claims the electric drivetrain and chassis set-up allows for both impressive on-road performance and handling and precise off-road control that surpasses any existing mechanical solutions.</p>
<p>The R1T&#39;s flat floor is also reinforced with carbonfibre and Kevlar to protect its battery pack, while it has achieved a five-star crash test safety rating in the US.</p>
<p>It has a distinctive front-end exterior design, while its spacious interior features premium but durable materials that are easy to clean, in keeping with the off-road lifestyle brief. There are also two screens that display Rivian&rsquo;s own software and graphics.</p>
<p>In addition, there are packs of novel hidden features and clever solutions, including a 330-litre front storage area under the nose&nbsp;and a full-width hole running between the rear doors and rear wheels that&rsquo;s good for housing golf clubs.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="600" src="https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/body-image/public/91-rivian-r1t-reveal-dashboard.jpg?itok=mrXJYtjk" width="900"></p>
<p>Rivian, founded in 2009, is looking to do things differently to other start-ups by having its entire business plan and funding in place before going public with its intentions, and even then keeping targets conservative.</p>
<p>Its founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe, has already gone through two stillborn versions of the R1T to get to this third, production-ready model.</p>
<p>The US-based company is backed by investors from the Middle East&nbsp;and employs some 560 people worldwide. Its design and engineering centre is in Plymouth, Michigan, and other key sites include a battery development facility in Irvine, California. It has opened an advanced engineering centre in Chertsey, Surrey, too.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="600" src="https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/body-image/public/94-rivian-r1t-reveal-static-front.jpg?itok=w6MMyAoc" width="900"></p>
<p>Manufacturing will take place at an old&nbsp;Mitsubishi&nbsp;plant in Illinois, which Rivian purchased for $16 million (&pound;12.5m/Rs 113 crore) last year. This has a capacity of up to 350,000 units per year.</p>
<p>Rivian&rsquo;s initial ambitions are much lower than that initially, with plans to be selling some 50-60,000 of its premium electric off-roaders by 2025/26. It does,&nbsp;however, plan to offer its electric skateboard chassis to other companies, either car makers or indeed any brand looking to launch an electric car, so long as their products do not compete with Rivian&rsquo;s own.</p>
<p>The R1T will go into production in late 2020, with the R1S following in early 2021. Prices for the former will start from $61,500 after federal tax rebates (&pound;48,000/Rs 43 lakh), with Rivian accepting refundable $1000 (Rs 70,965) pre-order deposits now. Right-hand drive production for the UK will follow around a year later.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/feature/america-japanese-car-usa-26972"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Made in America: Japanese car-making in the USA</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/dyson-electric-car-will-be-built-in-singapore-in-2021-41115"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Dyson electric car will be built in Singapore in 2021</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Electric five-seat truck has four-wheel drive and a range of up to 400 miles; will go on sale in late 2020 from $61,500 (Rs 43 lakh)]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Passenger Vehicles, Technologyhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ef92f1e3-9070-4514-b35b-6c7b11c88124.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ef92f1e3-9070-4514-b35b-6c7b11c88124.jpg&h=485&w=73541410https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/electric-startup-rivian-unveils-pickup-truck-to-rival-tesla-41410
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/electric-startup-rivian-unveils-pickup-truck-to-rival-tesla-41410Tue, 27 Nov 2018 09:18:00Ashok Leyland on track to meet BS VI 2020 emission norms<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/002618b9-9747-4c0e-80e4-2b3ec0e91736.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The race to achieve BS VI-emission norm compliance is underway in the Indian market. With barely 16 months to go before the new emission upgrade kicks in, the engineering and R&amp;D departments at automakers and their component suppliers across vehicle segments are hard at work. &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Chennai-based commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland today announced that it has achieved its internal milestone for the full range of M&amp;HCVs en route to meeting the BS-VI emission norms.</p>
<p>Dr N Saravanan, senior vice-president, Product Development, Ashok Leyland, said, "We are pleased to share that we have now achieved our internal milestone on emission capability for our entire range of M&amp;HCV vehicles. Our new technology continues to build upon the successfully proven iEGR engine platform. We are now well on track in our preparedness for the 2020 launch."&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ashok Leyland had first unveiled its Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation (iEGR) technology over a year ago. The technology, according to the company, which is upgradable to BS VI, is a simple yet innovative solution that helped it achieve the desired results to meet BS IV emission norms, which were implemented in India from April 1, 2017.</p>
<p>Ashok Leyland claims this technology is not only better suited to Indian conditions compared to Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology (based on European technology) but will also prove to be hugely cost effective, easy to operate and hassle-free to maintain, thereby resulting in improved total cost of ownership and better margins compared to products by OEMs which are based on SCR technology.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:<span style="color:#ff0000;">&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-develops-world%E2%80%99s-first-inline-fuel-pumpdriven-bs-iv-engine--upgradable-to-bs-vi-40445"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland develops world&rsquo;s first inline fuel pump-driven BS IV engine, upgradable to BS VI</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[Commercial vehicle maker develops new technology on iEGR engine platform, achieves internal milestone on emission capability for its entire range of M&HCVs. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/002618b9-9747-4c0e-80e4-2b3ec0e91736.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/002618b9-9747-4c0e-80e4-2b3ec0e91736.jpg&h=485&w=73541401https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-on-track-to-meet-bs-vi-2020-emission-norms-41401
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-on-track-to-meet-bs-vi-2020-emission-norms-41401Mon, 26 Nov 2018 12:17:00Yutong to deliver 100 fully electric buses to Chile<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7b2fb345-f242-4b22-95b5-1d08a4ccc61f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Company, a leading&nbsp;bus and coach supplier, will deliver 100 </strong><strong>full</strong><strong> electric buses to&nbsp;Chile. The 100 </strong><strong>full</strong><strong> electric buses will be used by Chile-based public transportation service providers, Buses Vule and STP Santiago to serve the&nbsp;Santiago&nbsp;public transportation system. The Chilean government&nbsp;has launched&nbsp;an&nbsp;environmentally-friendly urban development policy, part of which includes a program to replace current city buses with new-energy vehicles by 2050.</strong></p>
<p>E12 Electrical&nbsp;Bus, the model Yutong will deliver to&nbsp;Chile, is equipped with 324kWh power capacity and low energy consumption. The model comes with a 150kw DC charge. The company claims that it takes 2 hours to fully charge the bus. Under the premise of continuing the vehicle operation, the buses can be charged at a lower price&nbsp;at night, reducing the cost of the client&#39;s subsequent operation.</p>
<p>"For 13 years, we&#39;ve been strengthening our presence in&nbsp;Chile, deploying the &#39;Yutong Model&#39; of customised products, accessories, financing and comprehensive protection to serve different customers in different markets," said&nbsp;Chang Hao, Yutong&#39;s deputy general manager of overseas&nbsp;markets.</p>
<p>To serve vehicles that are already in use in&nbsp;Chile, Yutong has set up seven service stations in partnership to provide one-stop service,&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;operational training. The courses on driving, maintenance, vehicle structure, emergency handling and troubleshooting are provided especially for new energy bus.</p>
<p>Yutong Bus claims to have sent more than 20,000 vehicles to&nbsp;Latin America&nbsp;over the past 15 years, making up 54 percent of all Chinese exports in the sector, thus making it the&nbsp;leading&nbsp;Chinese bus supplier on the continent.</p>
<p>In 2017, Yutong claims to have sold 67,568 large- and medium-sized buses including 24,865 new-energy buses. This world-leading new-energy bus maker has its presence in the&nbsp;United Kingdom, France, Chile, Bulgaria,&nbsp;Iceland and&nbsp;Macao&nbsp;in China.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/byd-to-deliver-100-electric-buses-to-santiago,-chile-40075"><span style="color:#ff0000;">BYD to deliver 100 electric buses to Santiago, Chile</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The buses will be used by Buses Vule and STP Santiago to serve the Santiago public transportation system.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7b2fb345-f242-4b22-95b5-1d08a4ccc61f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7b2fb345-f242-4b22-95b5-1d08a4ccc61f.jpg&h=485&w=73541400https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/yutong- to-deliver-100-fully-electric-buses-to-chile-41400
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/yutong- to-deliver-100-fully-electric-buses-to-chile-41400Mon, 26 Nov 2018 10:56:00Volvo Trucks to provide first commercial autonomous solution by 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ebbbce35-5e07-4c33-ba54-80dc6882567b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Volvo Trucks signs an agreement with Bronnoy Kalk AS in Norway. Volvo Truck&rsquo;s solution for Bronnoy Kalk consists of limestone being transported by six autonomous Volvo FH trucks on a five-kilometre stretch through tunnels between the mine itself and the crusher. Tests of this solution are said to have been carried out successfully and will continue throughout 2018 to become fully operational by the end of 2019.</strong></p>
<p>Bronnoy Kalk is specifically buying a transport solution for the transport of the limestone between the two hubs. The agreement involves a deal whereby the customer buys a total transport service and pays per tonne delivered. The deal covers an autonomous hub-to-hub solution transporting limestone at Bronnoy Kalk in Velfjord, Norway. The autonomous Volvo FH trucks are managed by the operator of a wheel loader. The route includes driving in both tunnels and outdoor environment.</p>
<iframe width="735" height="485" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m4wLPfOz-c4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Raymond Langfjord, managing director of the mine said, &ldquo;The competition in the industry is tough. We are continuously looking to increase our efficiency and productivity long-term, and we have a clear vision of taking advantage of new opportunities in technology and digital solutions. &nbsp;We were searching for a reliable and innovative partner that shares our focus on sustainability and safety. Going autonomous will greatly increase our competitiveness in a tough global market.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, &ldquo;The global transport needs are continuously changing at a very high pace and the industry is demanding new and advanced solutions to stay ahead. Our aim is to be the leader of the development of products and services to respond to these demands&rdquo;, continues Claes Nilsson.</p>
<p>Sasko Cuklev, director autonomous solutions at Volvo Trucks said, &ldquo;By working in a confined area on a predetermined route, we can find out how to get the best out of the solution and tailor it according to specific customer needs. This is all about collaborating to develop new solutions, providing greater flexibility and efficiency as well as increased productivity.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/volvo-targets-growing-demand-for-construction-trucks-with-new-fm-380-8x4-41188"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Volvo targets growing demand for construction trucks with new FM 380 8x4</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-trucks-launches-electric-truck-29031"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Volvo Trucks launches its first all-electric truck</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-trucks-fe-electric-heavier-performance-fl-29404"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Volvo Trucks presents FE &nbsp;Electric with a much heavier performance than the FL</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Volvo Trucks signs an agreement with Bronnoy Kalk to provide an autonomous solution of transporting limestone from an open pit mine to a nearby port.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Technologyhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ebbbce35-5e07-4c33-ba54-80dc6882567b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ebbbce35-5e07-4c33-ba54-80dc6882567b.jpg&h=485&w=73541370https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-trucks-to-provide-first-commercial-autonomous-solution-by-2019-41370
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volvo-trucks-to-provide-first-commercial-autonomous-solution-by-2019-41370Wed, 21 Nov 2018 11:14:00Ashok Leyland’s MD and CEO Vinod Dasari to step down<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b1dd3d82-2e1c-4bb3-a984-888495426eda.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland today announced the resignation of its managing director and Chief Executive Officer Vinod K Dasari effective March 31, 2019.</strong></p>
<p>After a successful stint of almost 14 years with Ashok Leyland, first as a Chief Operating Officer (COO) and then as CEO and MD, Dasari has decided to pursue his personal interests and seek new learning. Respecting his decision, the company Board in its meeting today accepted his resignation.</p>
<p>Mr Dasari will continue to work in the current position until 31 March 2019, to ensure a smooth transition. Speaking on behalf of the company Board, Dheeraj G Hinduja, chairman, said: &ldquo;I would like to place on record the contribution of Mr Dasari in making Ashok Leyland a formidable force in the industry. He, along with his leadership team, steered the company to ensure significant all-round performance. We wish Mr&nbsp;Dasari the very best in his future endeavours."</p>
<p>Commenting on his decision to call it a day at the CV maker,&nbsp;Dasari said, "My decision to leave is purely personal as I wish to pursue my personal interests and continue my learning journey. Fourteen years in this great company has been an incredible experience. There were many challenges along the way, but the continuous support of the Board and a committed team has helped the company achieve many laurels and set industry benchmarks. I consider it an honour and a privilege to have led this great organisation over the last few years".</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Transforming Ashok Leyland into an aggressive force</span></strong><br>
Dasari, who was voted <strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/features/2016-vinod-dasari-23132"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Autocar Professional&rsquo;s Man of the Year in 2016</span></a></strong>, is credited with having transformed Ashok Leyland, the current No. 2 CV player in the country, into a lean and aggressive company with global ambitions.</p>
<p>Deploying a slew of strong restructuring initiatives across its core and non-core operations, Ashok Leyland&rsquo;s impressive results in the past few years constitute the returns of an adroit mix of cost-cutting measures, divestments and enhanced efficiencies. And quality also became a benchmark seen in the company&rsquo;s Pantnagar manufacturing plant bagging the prestigious Deming award for TQM.</p>
<p>To assist in business continuity and a seamless transition, the company Board has called upon Dheeraj Hinduja to step in as executive chairman (EC) with immediate effect. The Nominations and Remuneration Committee of the Board will meet shortly to decide the future course of action in identifying the next CEO and MD.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Ashok Leyland clocks record revenue, net profit in Q2 and H1 FY2019</span></strong><br>
Meanwhile, Ashok Leyland today also reported&nbsp;strong FY2018&nbsp;revenue&nbsp;at&nbsp;Rs&nbsp;7,608&nbsp;crore&nbsp;(Q2 FY2017: &nbsp;Rs&nbsp;6,076&nbsp;crore), an increase of 25&nbsp;percent YoY.&nbsp;The&nbsp;company achieved an EBITDA margin of 10.6 percent (Q2 FY18:&nbsp;10.1%), net profit&nbsp;at Rs 460 crore, up&nbsp;37&nbsp;percent YoY.</p>
<p>Despite market volatility, the&nbsp;company has&nbsp;been able to post&nbsp;consistent operating margins, with double-digit EBITDA margins in 14 of the past 15 quarters.&nbsp;For&nbsp;H1 FY2019, the company reported revenue of Rs 13,858 crore (+34% YoY), EBITDA at Rs 1,453 crore (+58% YoY) and net profit of Rs 830 crore (+86% YoY).</p>
<p>Commenting on the results,&nbsp;Vinod Dasari said:&nbsp;&ldquo;In a challenging market scenario and aggressive competitive environment, we have registered a record financial performance.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-showcases-indigenous-intelligent-egr-tech-bs-iv-engines-24434"><span style="color:#ff0000;">After bringing the world&rsquo;s first BS IV&nbsp;engine with intelligent EGR</span></a>, we continued to provide innovative world-class products <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-develops-world%E2%80%99s-first-inline-fuel-pumpdriven-bs-iv-engine--upgradable-to-bs-vi-40445"><span style="color:#ff0000;">like the world&rsquo;s&nbsp;first inline pump-based BS IV&nbsp;engine</span></a>." (Pictured below)</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/NEW%20web%20Ashok%20Leyland%20%27Innoline%27%20-%20World%27s%20first%20BS4%20Engine%20driven%20by%20an%20Inline%20Fuel%20Pump.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 568px;" title=""></p>
<p>"We launched many digital technology based solutions, like&nbsp;&#39;ServiceMandi&#39;&nbsp;(market aggregator of highway service) and&nbsp;&#39;eN-Dhan&#39;&nbsp;card (leverages scale to reduce fuel costs), to help reduce the operating costs of our customers.&nbsp;Launched a year ago,&nbsp;&#39;ServiceMandi&#39;&nbsp;has completed 300,000 transactions and Rs&nbsp;150&nbsp;crore&nbsp;in gross transaction value.&nbsp;&nbsp;&#39;eN-Dhan&#39;&nbsp;launched last quarter has reached 25,000 customers.&nbsp; This is in line with our brand philosophy of&nbsp;&#39;Aapki Jeet. Hamari Jeet&#39;," added Dasari.</p>
<p>Gopal Mahadevan, CFO,&nbsp;Ashok Leyland,&nbsp;said, &ldquo;The growth in topline has helped in our financial performance. While input cost increases continue, we are attempting to neutralise this effect through efficient cost management. We continue to be zero debt as at the end of the quarter.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Read more:<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/feature/2016-vinod-dasari-23132"><span style="color:#ff3300;"> Vinod Dasari: Autocar Professional&#39;s Man of the Year 2016</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/interview/journey-company-23165"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Interview with Vinod Dasari: &#39;We are on a journey now and we want to make this into a great company. So the best is yet to come.&#39;</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/feature/takes-deming-prize-winner-twice-28962"><span style="color:#ff0000;">What it takes to be a Deming Prize winner . . . twice</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-dost-hits-a-new-high-in-october-41213"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland Dost hits a new high in October</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/commercial-vehicle-sales-moderate-in-october--m&amp;hcv-sales-slow-down-41216"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland registers a YoY growth of 17 </span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/commercial-vehicle-sales-moderate-in-october--m&amp;hcv-sales-slow-down-41216"><span style="color:#ff0000;">percent</span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/commercial-vehicle-sales-moderate-in-october--m&amp;hcv-sales-slow-down-41216"><span style="color:#ff0000;"> in October 2018</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[After a successful stint of almost 14 years with Ashok Leyland, first as a Chief Operating Officer (COO) and then as CEO and MD, Dasari has decided to pursue his personal interests]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b1dd3d82-2e1c-4bb3-a984-888495426eda.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b1dd3d82-2e1c-4bb3-a984-888495426eda.jpg&h=485&w=73541300https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland’s-md-and-ceo-vinod-dasari-to-step-down-41300
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland’s-md-and-ceo-vinod-dasari-to-step-down-41300Tue, 13 Nov 2018 16:14:00Nikola Motor reveals hydrogen fuel cell truck for European markets<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b312ee7a-5bfa-4538-8ba5-32654292a0b0.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Nikola Motor Company, the US-based electric vehicle company, has&nbsp;revealed its latest zero-emission commercial truck called Tre for the European markets. The company is working with Nel Hydrogen for setting up hydrogen stations in the USA and has opened the bookings for this new model, which is to go on sales next April, through its website.</strong></p>
<p>The Nikola Tre has 500 to 1,000hp, 6x4 or 6x2 configurations and a claimed range of 500 to 1,200 kilometres depending on options. The Tre will fit within the current size and length restrictions for Europe. European testing is projected to begin in Norway around 2020. Nikola is also in the preliminary planning stages to identify the proper location for its European manufacturing facility.</p>
<p>Trevor Milton, founder and CEO of Nikola Motor Company, said, &ldquo;It will be the first European zero-emission commercial truck to be delivered with redundant braking, redundant steering, redundant 800Vdc batteries and a redundant 120 kW hydrogen fuel cell, all necessary for true Level 5 autonomy. Expect our production to begin around the same time as our USA version in 2022-2023.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Nikola is currently working with&nbsp;Nel Hydrogen&nbsp;of Oslo to provide hydrogen stations for USA. &ldquo;Nel has been good to work with for our USA station design and rollout. We will work with Nel to secure resources for our European growth strategy. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with the right partners, we can accomplish it,&rdquo; said Kim Brady, Nikola Motor Company CFO.</p>
<p>By 2028, Nikola is planning on having more than 700 hydrogen stations across the USA and Canada. Each station capable of 2,000 to 8,000 kgs of daily hydrogen production. Nikola&rsquo;s European stations are planned to come online around 2022 and are projected to cover most of the European market by 2030.</p>
<p>At the April 16-17, 2019 Nikola World in Phoenix, visitors will witness the Nikola Two in action, pulling loaded trailers along with a prototype display of the Nikola Tre. Hydrogen filling will also be shown at the event at 700 bar or 10,000 psi.</p>
<p>To date, the company claims to have approximately 11 billion dollars in pre-order reservations.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The truck that will be showcased next year in April is already up for booking in Europe.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Technologyhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b312ee7a-5bfa-4538-8ba5-32654292a0b0.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b312ee7a-5bfa-4538-8ba5-32654292a0b0.jpg&h=485&w=73541253https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/nikola-motor-reveals-hydrogen-fuel-cell-truck-for-european-markets-41253
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/nikola-motor-reveals-hydrogen-fuel-cell-truck-for-european-markets-41253Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:24:00Mahindra eyes 10% share in HCV market riding on Blazo<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/072ac0a4-3fe9-4227-bb33-9b7c62377cca.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, a "challenger" brand in the Indian medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&amp;HCV) industry, is eyeing new milestones.</strong></p>
<p>In the heavy truck market, Mahindra Truck and Bus (MTB) is aiming for the No. 3 position and a market share of 10 percent. From a share of 2.6 percent in FY15, it says, the share currently stands at 5 percent during the first half of the current financial year driven by its Blazo range. "Number 3 should happen earlier than 10 percent, because the current No. 3 doesn&#39;t have a 10 percent market share. In LCV and LCV buses, we are already No. 3. Hopefully, it should happen in the next couple of years," says Vinod Sahay, CEO, Mahindra Truck and Bus.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Mahindra%20Blazo%20X%20-%20Event%20Picture_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 839px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Vinod Sahay (left), seen here at the launch of the Blazo X, with Rajan Wadhera,&nbsp;president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra.</em></p>
<p>In a highly competitive M&amp;HCV market which is dominated by Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, the task of selling becomes much more demanding for a "challenger" brand. Add to that a premium of around Rs 150,000, and it compounds the challenge. Mahindra Truck &amp; Bus took the strategy of &#39;guarantee or penalty&#39; to convince customers over the past three years. Even that didn&#39;t bring customers in hoards. Even a year ago, out of all customers who MTB used to reach out to, not more than 30 percent actively considered the brand. Active consideration is where the brand is one of the final two brands the customer shortlists. "Today that consideration for us has gone very high. Out of the customers we are reaching almost 70-80 percent are considering us," says Sahay.</p>
<p>The Blazo family is for trucks ranging from 25 tonnes to 49 tonnes. The company claims that 44 percent of its sales every month come from its existing customer base. Most of the customers are large fleet operators. Sahay says that 65 of India&#39;s top 100 fleet operators also have bought Blazos.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Full range player by 2020</span></strong><br>
Mahindra is set to expand its commercial vehicle play with the market launch of its first range of products of the Furio range by early next year. The Furio range will include 21 products ranging from 5.5 tonnes to 18 tonnes. The company will launch four new products before BS VI emission norms kick in from&nbsp;April 1, 2020. With the flagship Blazo, Furio ILCV and the Optimo LCV range, MTB aims to be a full- range player by 2020.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the OEM is looking to expand its range through new variants, some of which is also being triggered by the axle load norms that kicked in recently. &nbsp;"Axle loading has created those opportunities. But those opportunities will be leveraged fully once the economy also moves in the direction where such loads are available. For sure, we are working on variants &ndash; both on the Blazo and Furio. Every year we introduce 4-5 variants," says Sahay.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-launches-fuelefficient-blazo-x-range-of-heavy-duty-trucks-41226"><span style="color:#ff0000;">MTB today launched the Blazo X</span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;">,</span> which promises at least 5 percent better fuel efficiency and costs Rs 25,000 more than the Blazo it replaces.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038"><span style="color:#ff0000;">CV industry firing on all cylinders, Tata Motors leads gains in H1 FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Blazo range of heavy commercial vehicles gives Mahindra Truck and Bus a new charge in the domestic market.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/072ac0a4-3fe9-4227-bb33-9b7c62377cca.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/072ac0a4-3fe9-4227-bb33-9b7c62377cca.jpg&h=485&w=73541230https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-eyes-10-share-in-hcv-market-riding-on-blazo-41230
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-eyes-10-share-in-hcv-market-riding-on-blazo-41230Fri, 02 Nov 2018 17:47:00Mahindra launches fuel-efficient Blazo X range of heavy duty trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/478cb498-5cbc-4073-89e9-1200b5996c8b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra Truck and Bus (MTB), a part of the Mahindra Group, today launched the Blaxo X HCV range of trucks, an upgrade of its existing Blazo range with a sharpened focus on delivering improved fuel efficiency. </strong></p>
<p>With fuel being a key component of a transporters&rsquo; operating cost and diesel prices hitting record highs in recent times, the Blazo X aims to address the rising fuel cost woes of transporters by delivering higher mileage. Plus, there&rsquo;s the offer of unmatched mileage guarantee of &lsquo;get more mileage or return the truck&rsquo;.</p>
<p>According to the company, the new Blazo X benefits from improved efficiencies in the vehicle&rsquo;s air management system, rolling characteristics, and the vehicle&rsquo;s rotating parts among others. The new Blazo X will be available in all platforms &ndash;haulage, tractor-trailer and tipper &ndash; and is equipped with the Blazo&rsquo;s FuelSmart technology. The company says the new Blazo X offers an additional 5 percent mileage over its predecessor.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Mahindra%20Blazo%20X%20-%20Event%20Picture.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 839px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>L-R:&nbsp;Vinod Sahay, CEO, Mahindra Truck and Bus Division, and&nbsp;Rajan Wadhera, president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, at the Blazo X launch.</em></p>
<p>Speaking at the new product launch in Mumbai, Rajan Wadhera, president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, said,&nbsp;&ldquo;The Blazo pushed the boundaries for Mahindra since its launch on several fronts, be it volumes and market share or the industry-first guarantees which laid the foundation for a turnaround of the business. The new Blazo X series of HCV trucks further enhances our customer value proposition of &lsquo;Har Cheez Guarantee Ke Saath&rsquo; and will create higher benchmarks in performance and earnings.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Wadhera&nbsp;further added, &ldquo;Given the spiraling fuel prices, there wasn&rsquo;t a better time to introduce the Blazo X, with the benefit of extra mileage.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Vinod Sahay, chief executive officer, Mahindra Truck and Bus Division, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, said, &ldquo;The launch of the Blazo X will further strengthen our position in the market. With 21,000 Blazo trucks already on Indian roads, our Blazo range of HCVs is well entrenched in important segments such as car carriers, tankers, cement bulkers and the coal industry, with their proposition of best value-for-money brand, mileage superiority and low cost of ownership. Today, MTB is well on its way to becoming a formidable force in the Indian CV market, being the No. 3 player in certain segments and markets. Going forward, we intend to be the number 3 player in the overall HCV segment.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/2_%20BLAZO%20X%2025%20Tipper.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 491px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">New axle loads norms drive M&amp;HCV sales</span></strong><br>
Following the recently announced new axle load norms, the industry is reporting an increase in the share of modern trucks, such as the Blazo, with higher power-to-weight ratio, better aggregates and modern comfortable cabins, which can carry additional loads. They can also make faster trips in the borderless era of GST and deliver higher fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs.</p>
<p>MTB says it is the No. 3 player in certain segments and markets such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Punjab, Bihar and Jammu &amp; Kashmir in the HCV category. Of the 21,000 Blazo trucks sold in India till now since launch in February 2016, nearly 44 percent of sales have been repeat purchases and have cumulatively covered more than 125 crore kilometres.</p>
<p>MTB says demand for the Blazo range stems from its mileage superiority and low cost of ownership attained through increased oil change intervals, reduced oil cost and a class-leading 6 years/ 600,000km transferable warranty.</p>
<p>In the LCV segment, Mahindra Truck and Bus has a market share of 9.4 percent. It is all set to further strengthen its position all across India with over 2,00,000 vehicles already on the roads.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Expanding sales and service network</span></strong><br>
Mahindra Truck and Bus has rapidly expanded its aftersales service and spares network which now includes over 100 3S dealerships, 168 authorised service centres, 33 M-Parts Plazas and 2,900 roadside assistance points and spares network of more than 1,600 retail outlets to further improve the reach and support for customers on important trucking routes. The company also boasts of India&rsquo;s first multi-lingual 24X7 helpline, NOW, which is manned by technical experts to provide instant support to customers and drivers. The NOW mobile service vans and mobile workshops further add to the reach and agility of the support network.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/commercial-vehicle-sales-moderate-in-october--m&hcv-sales-slow-down-41216"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Commercial vehicle sales moderate in October, M&amp;HCV sales slow down</span></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">CV industry firing on all cylinders, Tata Motors leads gains in H1 FY2019</span></strong></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[With fuel being a key component of a transporters’ operating cost and diesel prices hitting record highs in recent times, the Blazo X aims to address the rising fuel cost woes of transporters by delivering higher mileage.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/478cb498-5cbc-4073-89e9-1200b5996c8b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/478cb498-5cbc-4073-89e9-1200b5996c8b.jpg&h=485&w=73541226https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-launches-fuelefficient-blazo-x-range-of-heavy-duty-trucks-41226
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-launches-fuelefficient-blazo-x-range-of-heavy-duty-trucks-41226Fri, 02 Nov 2018 14:54:00Maruti Suzuki opens its 250th CV showroom in Dehradun<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/617e7387-da40-497e-8680-1607b707eecd.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Maruti Suzuki India today inaugurated its 250th commercial vehicle showroom in Dehradun. The company&rsquo;s CV dealer network is among the fastest growing automobile retail channels in India and has expanded its presence to over 193 cities in the country. The company currently retails the Super Carry small commercial vehicle, which has been recording a smart uptick in domestic market sales.</strong></p>
<p>Commenting on the expansion of the company&rsquo;s CV retail channel, R S Kalsi, senior executive director - Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, &ldquo;Within the LCV segment, the mini-truck segment comprises close to a third of the sales and has been growing at a CAGR of 21 percent during the last four years. The Maruti Suzuki Super Carry has been developed specifically for India, keeping in mind the unique requirements of the Indian mini-truck customer. The company&rsquo;s commercial channel is the fastest growing channel in India and is amply supported by the extensive Maruti Suzuki Service network. This enables our customer to always be on the move in life and in business.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment has been the largest volume contributor in the commercial vehicle industry. Globally, Suzuki Motor Corporation has expertise in this segment and the Super Carry is part of that lineage. Maruti Suzuki has invested about Rs 300 crore in the Super Carry project.</p>
<p>The Super Carry is powered by a two-cylinder turbocharged 793cc diesel engine and an all-new 1200cc CNG engine variant. In the 26 months since its launch in September 2016, the Super Carry has sold a total of 23,524 units across India, with the highest monthly sales coming up in October 2018 &ndash; 2,152 units.&nbsp;</p>
<p>FY2017: 900<br />
FY2018: 10,033<br />
FY2019: 12,591 (April-October 2018)</p>
<p>According to Maruti Suzuki&rsquo;s internal research, nearly half of the company&rsquo;s customers are businessmen, small traders or are self-employed. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Competition in the 2T mini-truck segment has increased also because overall numbers are reducing with buyers favoring higher-tonnage vehicles of up to 3.5T to meet the boom in last-mile deliveries.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-dost-hits-a-new-high-in-october-41213"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland Dost hits a new high in October</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The company claims this is the fastest rollout of the auto retail channel in the country.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/617e7387-da40-497e-8680-1607b707eecd.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/617e7387-da40-497e-8680-1607b707eecd.jpg&h=485&w=73541225https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-opens-its-250th-cv-showroom-in-dehradun-41225
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/maruti-suzuki-opens-its-250th-cv-showroom-in-dehradun-41225Fri, 02 Nov 2018 11:53:00Mahindra sells 46,312 tractors in October, up 17%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ec931156-6e00-474b-a027-bb7f74739965.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector (FES), a part of the $ 20.7 billion (Rs 150,706 crore) Mahindra Group, today announced its tractor sales numbers for October 2018. Domestic sales in October 2018 were at 46,312 units, as against 39,516 units during October 2017. Total tractor sales (domestic + exports) during October 2018 were at 47,376 units, as against 40,562 units for the same period last year. Exports for the month stood at 1,064 units.</strong></p>
<p>In the period of April to October, Mahindra sold 217,574 units in the domestic market, a YoY growth of 10 percent (198,474 units in the same period last year). Including the export, the total figure has been reported as 226,205 units which is&nbsp;19,264 units more than the previous year figures.</p>
<p>Commenting on the month&rsquo;s performance, Rajesh Jejurikar, president - Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;We have sold 46,312 tractors in the domestic market during Oct 2018, a growth of 17 percent over last year. Demand gained momentum with the onset of the festival season. In the exports market, we sold 1,064 tractors in Oct 2018, a growth of 2 percent over last year. All our plants operated at full capacity, to help us meet the festive demand.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Mahindra%20Farm%20Equipment.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 721px; height: 150px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Mahindra reports a 2 percent gain in exports by sending out 1,064 units.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ec931156-6e00-474b-a027-bb7f74739965.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ec931156-6e00-474b-a027-bb7f74739965.jpg&h=485&w=73541224https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-sells-46-312-tractors-in-october--up-17-41224
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-sells-46-312-tractors-in-october--up-17-41224Fri, 02 Nov 2018 10:46:00Commercial vehicle sales moderate in October, M&HCV sales slow down<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55923edf-be0c-4c8a-8e51-43c4a32123e8.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Of all the vehicle segments, the Indian commercial vehicle (CV) industry has been firing on all cylinders for quite some time now. After notching rapid growth of 38 percent in the&nbsp;first six months of FY2019, the sector has recorded lower double-digit growth of 21.63 percent in October 2018 (see detailed sales table below).</strong></p>
<p>While it was known that the robust 38 percent growth was not sustainable for the full fiscal, it was estimated that the growth will moderate; however, October numbers indicate a higher-than-anticipated decline, albeit the growth is still on a higher plane than the other vehicle segments. &nbsp;</p>
<p>While M&amp;HCVs saw 48 percent YoY growth between April-September 2018, they have registered lower growth in October. Comparatively, LCVs, which grew by 32 percent during the same period, maintained their strong number in October, thanks to continuing demand for last-mile connectivity and rural areas driving growth. &nbsp;</p>
<p>CV market leader Tata Motors maintained double-digit growth in the overall segment but saw M&amp;HCV sales slow down considerably. Having grown at nearly 30 percent, M&amp;HCV sales in October declined to 16 percent.</p>
<p>Likewise, Ashok Leyland and Mahindra Truck and Bus have registered double-digit growth in their overall sales but their M&amp;HCV sales declined to 7 percent and -9 percent respectively. This clearly underlines&nbsp;the pressure on heavy truck sales with demand moderating. Sales in H1 FY2019 (April-September 2018) point to stronger sale of multi-axle trucks including 25T, 31T and 37T&nbsp;and&nbsp;49T tractor-trailers.&nbsp;However, after consistent growth and demand peaking up last year, tipper sales saw some correction of 19 percent in H1. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the ongoing infrastructure spend by&nbsp;the government,&nbsp;increased level of manufacturing activity, the peak festive season and a rise in consumer spending over Q3 should have a positive impact on cargo offerings. This is likely to enable optimum&nbsp;utilisation&nbsp;of truck fleets in&nbsp;the country, and in turn help OEMs to retain lower&nbsp;double-digit&nbsp;growth in the remaining months of FY2019.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">How the OEMs fared in October</span><br>
<span style="color:#ff0000;">Tata Motors</span> </strong>sold 39,420 units in October 2018, up by 22 percent YoY (October 2017: 32,411). Its M&amp;HCV truck sales comprised 13,185 units (+16%). The ILCV segment remains strong with sales of 4,841 units and growing 29 percent YoY. Surging demand for its cargo SCVs and pickups together witnessed the sale of 18,209 units (+ 30%). Tata Motors says with the hub-and-spoke model continuously evolving, small commercial vehicles are in demand for last-mile connectivity needs across rural and urban markets. The recently launched Tata Ace Gold has been well received by customers and is seeing strong demand. Meanwhile, the commercial passenger carrier (bus) segment saw sales of 3,185 units (-2%), the sector facing the brunt of slow STU buying and permits for private hiring.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ashok Leyland </span></strong>sold a total of 15,149 units in October, a YoY growth of 17 percent (October 2017: 12,944).&nbsp; While the company sold 9,797 M&amp;HCVs (+7%), its LCVs recorded healthy 41 percent YoY growth at 5,352 units sold. (October 2017: 3,804). The company&rsquo;s Dost small CV notched its best-ever monthly sales of 5,022 units last month.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Mahindra &amp; Mahindra</span></strong>&rsquo;s overall CV numbers are up by 26 percent to 24,353 units (October 17: 19,281). After sustained growth, the company&rsquo;s M&amp;HCV sales fell by 9 percent to 683 units (October 2017: 750). But bringing in the numbers is the below-3.5T GVW segment with sales of 23,157 units, up 28 percent YoY &nbsp;(October 2017: 18,057). Vehicles in the above-3.5T GVW segment registered growth of 8 percent with sales of 513 units (October 2017: 474).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">VE Commercial Vehicles </span></strong>continues to maintains double-digit growth, the company selling 5,121 units in the domestic market &nbsp;last month, which marks growth of 14.7 percent (October 2017: 4,463 units).</p>
<p>Overall though, despite the moderate sales growth in October, CV majors remain bullish on growth this fiscal.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038"><span style="color:#ff0000;">CV industry firing on all cylinders, Tata Motors leads gains in H1 FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/COMMERCIAL%20VEHICLE%20SALES.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 243px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[To a segment consistently notching upwards of 35 percent growth, are the October sales numbers a reality check?]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55923edf-be0c-4c8a-8e51-43c4a32123e8.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/55923edf-be0c-4c8a-8e51-43c4a32123e8.jpg&h=485&w=73541216https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/commercial-vehicle-sales-moderate-in-october--m&hcv-sales-slow-down-41216
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/commercial-vehicle-sales-moderate-in-october--m&hcv-sales-slow-down-41216Thu, 01 Nov 2018 17:13:00Ashok Leyland Dost hits a new high in October<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/56217b62-c8fc-402c-ad65-794e496bd95c.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland has posted its best-ever performance in the small commercial vehicle (SCV) segment during October 2018. Its Dost small commercial vehicle sold 5,022 units last month. Its previous best was in September when it sold 4,760 units. The segment share for the Dost stands at 17 percent for the year.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>For the April to September 2018 period, the 2- to 3.5-tonne segment, where the Dost falls in, grew 17 percent YoY with sales of 134,133 units. Mahindra &amp; Mahindra (M&amp;M) leads the segment with a 62 percent market share. Tata Motors comes second with a 19 percent share, followed by Ashok Leyland with a 17 percent share. M&amp;M and Tata Motors have multiple products, while Ashok Leyland has a sole product in this segment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As a result of the growing demand for hub-and-spoke and last-mile deliveries, the Ashok Leyland Dost has been&nbsp;seeing a smart uptick in demand from across the country.&nbsp; In FY2018, the company sold a total of 39,865 units, which is a 31 percent YOY growth. In the first seven months of&nbsp;FY2019, a total of 27,874 Dosts have been sold, which means this small CV is driving towards achieving its best-ever sales in a fiscal.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Dost, which debuted in September 2011, is the first SCV from the erstwhile Ashok Leyland-Nissan joint venture. After taking full control of the venture, the Indian OEM has expanded its LCV portfolio. With the growth of the hub-and-spoke delivery model, LCVs are set to grow further.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[With sales of 5,022 units in October 2018, the Ashok Leyland Dost is making the most of the surging demand in the 2- to 3.5-tonne small commercial vehicle segment. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/56217b62-c8fc-402c-ad65-794e496bd95c.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/56217b62-c8fc-402c-ad65-794e496bd95c.jpg&h=485&w=73541213https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-dost-hits-a-new-high-in-october-41213
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ashok-leyland-dost-hits-a-new-high-in-october-41213Thu, 01 Nov 2018 13:54:00Escorts sells 13,140 tractors in October 2018, up 28.8%<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/74b9183c-65af-4be2-9fbe-fa4dd5d3f02f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Escorts, a Faridabad-based engineering conglomerate, has reportedly sold 13,140 tractors in the month of October as against 10,205 units in the previous year. The tractors are sold under the aegis of Escorts Agri Machinery (EAM).</strong></p>
<p>As per reports, EAM sold 12,867 tractors in the domestic market in the month of October. Thus, registering a growth of 28.7 percent against 10,001 tractors in October 2017. Their export figures that include their sales in Nepal and Bhutan registered a growth of 33.8 percent in October 2018, with 273 tractors as against 204 in October 2017.</p>
<p>In the April to October period, EAM has reported an overall YoY growth of 21.9 percent with an increase of 10,549 units to 58,673 units. In the domestic market, during the same period, the company has recorded a YoY growth of 22 percent to post 57,359 units. Exports contributed to 2.24 percent of the total volume in the same period .</p>
<p>Escorts is diversified in to three different segments- Escorts Agri Machinery (EAM), Escorts Construction Equipment (ECE) and Railway Equipment Division (RED).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Escorts%20October%202018.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 642px; height: 150px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Exports contributed to 2 percent of the total sales volume in the month of October.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/74b9183c-65af-4be2-9fbe-fa4dd5d3f02f.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/74b9183c-65af-4be2-9fbe-fa4dd5d3f02f.jpg&h=485&w=73541211https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/escorts-sells-13-140-tractors-in-october-2018--up-288-41211
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/escorts-sells-13-140-tractors-in-october-2018--up-288-41211Thu, 01 Nov 2018 12:48:00Volkswagen to reveal new MQB-based pickup concept on November 6<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f448bd5f-1a40-40ed-a0dd-80bb0609b9ff.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Volkswagen will have the world premiere of its new pickup concept, which fuses the features of a digitally networked SUV and the versatility of a pickup to form a new, urban-oriented vehicle, at the São Paulo International Motor Show on November 6.</strong></p>
<p>One of the noteworthy innovations of this concept is the multivariable loading area: in just a couple of simple steps, it can be significantly extended thanks to the folding rear panel of the double cab.</p>
<p>The concept car is positioned below the Amarok, but is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB), such as the successful Tiguan compact SUV. The world premiere of the all-wheel drive prototype coincides with the countdown to the launch of the series version: It will be launched &ndash; virtually unchanged &ndash; on the Brazilian market as early as 2020. However, according to Volkswagen, the potential of this new pickup is so high that it could also enhance the Volkswagen model range in other regions of the world.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Near-production concept vehicle combines urban SUV style elements with the DNA of a cleverly conceived pickup.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f448bd5f-1a40-40ed-a0dd-80bb0609b9ff.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f448bd5f-1a40-40ed-a0dd-80bb0609b9ff.jpg&h=485&w=73541189https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-to-reveal-new-mqbbased-pickup-concept-on-november-6-41189
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-to-reveal-new-mqbbased-pickup-concept-on-november-6-41189Tue, 30 Oct 2018 21:26:00Volvo targets growing demand for construction trucks with new FM 380 8x4<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e547c6c5-4f11-42ab-9c12-bde2312886a0.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>If the ongoing boom in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&amp;HCV) segment in India is any indication, then sustained demand for CV operators in this segment is here to stay.</strong></p>
<p>A sizeable portion of the demand for heavy trucks is coming from the infrastructure sector, what with the sizeable government spend in road road construction projects, irrigation projects and hydel projects, while private operators are buying tippers for duty in stone, marble and granite quarries. To tap the growing potential in this segment, Volvo Trucks has launched the FM380 8x4 construction truck in India.</p>
<p>In the construction segments, customers typically want a truck which can deliver the lowest cost per tonne, carry more loads per trip and offer the highest productivity and uptime. Volvo Trucks says the new FM380 accomplishes all of these and more by bringing industry-leading technology to its Indian customers.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/IMG_0970.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 712px;" title=""></p>
<p>Speaking on the new truck, Vinod Aggarwal, managing director and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: "Customers now are more conscious about the cost per tonne and they care more about the total cost of the ownership over its lifecycle. With increased investments in infrastructure projects, there are more opportunities for Volvo trucks in India as customers are willing to opt for highly productive and efficient transport solutions. That is important for us at Volvo Trucks; all our offerings emerge from customer needs and end with their satisfaction with a focus on customers&#39; success."</p>
<p>"The world is changing at an ever-faster pace but the need for safety and efficiency will never change. The demand for transport will grow and certainly in new forms and under different conditions. We will have to take our innovative powers and safety philosophy to new levels,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Highlights of the FM 380 8x4</span></strong><br>
The Volvo FM 380 8x4&nbsp; is claimed to be the most efficient and flexible solution for the unique demands of the construction sector. The company says the aerodynamically designed FM380 is a safe and efficient truck, with low repair and maintenance costs and high body-mounting ability.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The FM 380 8x4 offers the largest capacity body in the segment delivering the highest productivity, a very powerful and technologically advanced engine and is the only model in its segment to have an automated manual transmission - Volvo&#39;s superior l-Shift technology - delivering higher fuel efficiency, lower maintenance&nbsp;and&nbsp;better driver comfort. The truck cabin also comes equipped with a host of safety and comfort features.</p>
<p>Volvo says the high-capacity tipper is a best-in-class solution when it comes to executing large construction projects in tough operating conditions. It facilitates swift, efficient transportation of large loads, without getting bogged down.</p>
<p>Dinakar B, senior vice-president, Sales, Marketing &amp; Aftermarket, Volvo Trucks India, said, "With the launch of the FM380 8x4 and the first of its kind FMX 460 8x4 19.5 Cu.M granite body, we are geared to raise the current standards of productivity, efficiency and reliability in the construction segment to support our customers in achieving higher operational efficiency and savings with timely delivery of projects."</p>
<p>Volvo Trucks, which has completed nearly 20 years in India, caters to the premium heavy duty special applications truck segment. The company has an over 80 percent market share in this segment, which is a little less than 2,000 trucks a year.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[The FM 380 8x4, which offers the largest capacity body in the segment, is claimed to deliver the lowest cost per tonne, carry more loads per trip and offer the highest productivity and uptime.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e547c6c5-4f11-42ab-9c12-bde2312886a0.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e547c6c5-4f11-42ab-9c12-bde2312886a0.JPG&h=485&w=73541188https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/volvo-targets-growing-demand-for-construction-trucks-with-new-fm-380-8x4-41188
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/volvo-targets-growing-demand-for-construction-trucks-with-new-fm-380-8x4-41188Tue, 30 Oct 2018 20:45:00Tata Motors thinks big for fast-evolving CV business<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3cbbf2b9-8cdf-45f9-9a95-d75721e8b34c.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success. So says Swami Sivananda, a spiritual teacher and a proponent of yoga and </strong><strong>vedanta</strong><strong>. It&rsquo;s something Tata Motors is actively working on since it embarked on its turnaround strategy last August, with an avowed target of regaining 5 </strong><strong>percent</strong><strong> market share in both its commercial vehicle and passenger vehicle businesses. Since then, Tata has engineered a remarkable return to good times. </strong></p>
<p>From a CV market share of 39.81 percent in June 2017 to 45.90 percent in June 2018, and a PV market share of 5.45 percent in August 2017 to 6.75 percent in June 2018, it&#39;s a smart return to form. In terms of financial performance, in Q1 FY2018, the company reported consolidated revenue of Rs 67,081 crore, up 14 percent. For the domestic market, Tata reported revenue of Rs 16,803 crore and PAT of Rs 1,188 crore. The Q1 FY2019 results see Tata Motors&rsquo; net revenue and the operating profit at its highest since Q1 FY2013.</p>
<p>Firing up the company&rsquo;s performance is the CV business unit. Having lost much ground in the domestic market in the first quarter of FY2018 due to constraints in BS IV-compliant products supply capacity, it has recorded speedy growth from Q2 FY2018 onwards. The company has almost doubled its sales and despatched 111,642 units in Q1 FY2019, which marks 71 percent YoY growth (Q1FY2018: 60,446 units), in the process increasing CV market share to 45.90 percent from 39.81 percent. &ldquo;We have a target to grow profitably, and we are looking at market share. We have grown well in Q1 FY2019, grown our market share in all segments and overall have grown by around 5.2 percent,&rdquo; says Girish Wagh, president-Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">New axle norms call for re-engineering</span></strong><br>
On July 16, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified an increase in truck axle load by 25 percent; this was revised to 12-15 percent on August 6. Tata Motors says this move calls for &ldquo;re-engineering&rdquo; of the vehicle.&nbsp; Wagh says, &ldquo;We have studied the norms and they clearly call for re-engineering of the vehicles. When you are done with the re-engineering, then you have to do some validations, and since the regulations have changed, this will be followed by certification. So we have to engineer, validate and certify the vehicles. We have started work on the vehicle engineering and we have also been engaging with the government and the industry body as to whether we can defer and decide the date for implementation.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Jamshedpur%20plant%20final.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p>The government notification has added much work not just for OEMs but also the component supplier base, which may impact future supplies. &ldquo;When we started looking at those norms, we also broadly decided the aggregates that are going to change, and what the changes will be. We also started interacting with the suppliers; tyres will be one major area.&nbsp; There are some capacity constraints from that perspective, but we have indicated what the demand mix will be, going ahead. They are working on it but there are other suppliers who have to adjust to this kind of demand mix. As of now, the clarity is not there; it is emerging with every passing day. But clearly, there is going to be changed in the demand mix at the component and aggregate level,&rdquo; explains Wagh.</p>
<p>India Auto Inc is currently experiencing one of its disruptive phases with the BS VI, CAFE (corporate average fuel economy), safety and other norms, which translates into making huge investments. In a way, this means the component industry is facing a tough time accessing the funding required to upgrade capabilities and deliver the required results.</p>
<p>According to Wagh, the axle load issue can be looked in two ways &ndash; the market and the supply chain. He says the company will have to reach a new level in terms of product mix at the vehicle level, and therefore at the aggregate and component mix. &ldquo;Secondly, as far as investments are concerned, generally they will be in parts &ndash; one is generic and the other unique &ndash; tooling is unique, what will get impacted if a particular component is getting phased out. So those unique investments will get impacted; either those will need to be reconfigured for the new aggregate or the component, or will need to put up new investment. This is what is going to happen.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Full-range player</span></strong><br>
The CV market leader, being a full range player &ndash; LCVs, ILCVs, M&amp;HCVs and trailers &ndash; has its own advantage. Wagh cites how existing customers can look at upgrading their fleets with a range of products from the Tata Motors&rsquo; stable, along with the advantage of having a huge network that allows for speedy servicing.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/DSC_4389.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Girish Wagh: "We have studied the new axle&nbsp;loading norms for trucks and they clearly call for re-engineering of vehicles."</em></p>
<p>In line with its mission to improve the bottom line, the company has appointed four business heads to look after each segment &ndash; M&amp;HCVs, I&amp;LCVs, SCVs and the pickup and PVs product lines. Wagh says these&nbsp; business heads take &ldquo;their own decisions in terms of product planning, supply chain and product development, among other things.&rdquo; This allows the company to be agile and plan its offerings better.</p>
<p>&ldquo;As part of this product line organisation, we also have a product planning group in every product line. Their job now is actually to look five years into the future, understand regulatory changes likely to happen, customer and technology requirements, and then they come up with what we call as a five-year product plan. It&rsquo;s all about what products we need to make, which spaces we need to enter, what kind of aggregates we need to use, and what kind of technology we need to deploy.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;They are tuned into the market on a continuous basis to understand what needs to be done. Because there will be some changes that will be required to be done dynamically, it addresses the regulation part and also, more importantly, the changing customer requirements. The requirements are changing and all this is being done to understand what kind of products we need to make. These product heads were appointed a year ago, around April 2017,&rdquo; explains Wagh.</p>
<p>In terms of investments, the company has earmarked around Rs 1,500 crore to address R&amp;D, manufacturing capex and also manufacturing of new products that includes tooling. According to Wagh, the company will incur an additional expenditure of around 10-20 percent on the back of BS VI norms.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Clean mobility</span></strong><br>
According to Tata Motors, its advanced engineering has been working on many areas, taking into account different scenarios and technology in the market. It has been working on alternate fuels, HCNG, electrification and fuel cells.</p>
<p>Wagh says, &ldquo;You take the case of the electric bus tender, where we were able to bid and win in six cities and now we are in the process of making the first demo vehicles. We were able to do it because we were carrying out advanced engineering from the past 6-7 years, and a lot of the work was already done. Our strategy has been to work in the advanced engineering domain, to keep ourselves abreast in technologies that are likely to happen. If one has to pull the trigger, then it&#39;s how fast we can get into action. Be it hydrogen-CNG or fuel cells, we are doing some advanced engineering. If the market goes in that direction, one can&rsquo;t do full-scale R&amp;D because it calls for resources in terms of people, money, which we can&rsquo;t commit unless there is demand.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Wagh adds that Tata Motors, which has received orders for around 200 electric buses, has seen new demand come in various cities and municipal bodies, taking its total order book to around 290 units. Deliveries are expected to begin in the second half of this year.</p>
<p>Market demand-wise, the company says that the &ldquo;mother requirement&rdquo; remains of improving TCO but at the same time new duty cycles are also coming up. &ldquo;If you see the e-commerce segment, there are customers who are promising turnaround time to their customers, who use their vehicles in different duty-cycles. Therefore, from that kind of duty cycle, we have to look at driver comfort, and the new set of calibration because of the speed that they are operating. This means customer requirements are going up and from the point of view of either reducing the total cost of operation or increasing total revenue from operation. So it could be comfort, convenience, product requirements or service requirements too. We see a lot of changes happening and thus are working with such demanding customers that help us to develop new offerings,&rdquo; adds Wagh.</p>
<p>Speaking on the road ahead, Wagh says that Tata Motors launched around 50 products last year, and this year the trend will be similar. &ldquo;In terms of new segments, it depends on how one segments them. There are multiple dimensions of segmentation. And if you look at it from the end-user perspective, you can create more segments, for instance in the Ultra range, the reefer (refrigerated van) itself was one product. From that perspective, we will continue to look at every dimension of the segmentation and what can be done and what we can do to address the needs of the customers,&rdquo; concludes Wagh.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the CV competition is also girding up for growth in a dynamic, evolving market which is benefiting from the government spend on infrastructure, e-commerce and improved consumer sentiment. Like Tata Motors, other OEMs are now also upping their pre-and post-sales act and improving the total cost of ownership parameters. Going forward, it looks to be an exciting phase for the industry even as it drives towards BS VI norms which kick in less than 20 months</p>
<p><em>(This article was first published in the 15 August 2018 issue of Autocar Professional)</em></p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038"><span style="color:#ff0000;">CV industry firing on all cylinders, Tata Motors leads gains in H1 FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Riding on a battery of new products across segments, Tata Motors’ Commercial Vehicle Business unit is going pedal to the metal to ensure it stays on the growth road.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3cbbf2b9-8cdf-45f9-9a95-d75721e8b34c.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3cbbf2b9-8cdf-45f9-9a95-d75721e8b34c.jpg&h=485&w=73541171https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/tata-motors-thinks-big-for-fastevolving-cv-business-41171
https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/tata-motors-thinks-big-for-fastevolving-cv-business-41171Tue, 30 Oct 2018 06:05:00Daimler and Geely to set up JV for premium ride-hailing service in China<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1fd31286-09b8-4b47-8998-10b5f44bb25d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler Mobility Services and Geely Group Company, Geely Holding Group&rsquo;s new business entity, announced today that they will form a premium ride-hailing joint venture in China. The 50-50 joint venture (JV) will be headquartered in Hangzhou. The JV&nbsp;will&nbsp;provide ride-hailing mobility services in&nbsp;several&nbsp;Chinese cities using premium vehicles including but not limited to Mercedes-Benz vehicles.</strong></p>
<p>The fleet initially will&nbsp;include Mercedes-Benz&nbsp;S-Class,&nbsp;E-Class and V-Class&nbsp;and Maybach vehicles and could&nbsp;be supplemented by&nbsp;premium electric&nbsp;vehicles&nbsp;of the Geely Group. Financial terms and the investment plans of the JV have not been disclosed at this stage. The implementation of the JV is subject to approval by the merger control authorities.</p>
<p>Klaus Entenmann, CEO of Daimler Financial Services, said: &ldquo;With Geely Group, we have found an excellent partner to expand our mobility services in China. The joint venture will play a significant role as we continue to enlarge our portfolio and global presence and solidify our strong position in the mobility market.&rdquo;</p>
<p>An Conghui, president of Geely Holding, said, &ldquo;We are delighted to have defined terms for a premium ride-hailing joint venture with Daimler Mobility Services. The development of such services, in which both companies already have a presence, forms part of our transformation from a vehicle manufacturer into a global automotive technology group.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at Daimler headquarters in Stuttgart was attended by An Conghui, Geely Holding President, and Liu Jinliang, President of Geely Group Company, Geely&rsquo;s new business division, as well as by Klaus Entenmann, CEO Daimler Financial Services AG, and Jörg Lamparter, Head of Mobility Services at Daimler Financial Services AG.</p>
<p>As part of the JV, Geely Group Company and Daimler Mobility Services will be equally represented on the board of the new ride-hailing service, for which the two companies will jointly develop the software infrastructure required to support the business in China.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">JV to complement new mobility services</span></strong><br />
Geely Holding has launched CaoCao, the Chinese domestic ride-hailing service that is claimed to have &nbsp;more than 17 million registered users, with one million regular active users on the app providing more than 29,000 pure electric vehicles in 28 cities across the country and with over 360,000 completed trips throughout the country on a daily basis.</p>
<p>With the JV, Daimler Mobility Services will enlarge its global presence: As of September 30, 2018, car2go, moovel as well as mytaxi/Intelligent Apps accounted for 26 million customers, according to the company. With car2go and Car2Share, Daimler is currently providing free-floating as well as station-based car-sharing services to over 470,000 customers in China who have completed over 20 million kilometers in car-sharing journeys. The proposed JV is another step in the implementation of the Daimler CASE strategy, with its four pillars Connected, Autonomous, Shared &amp; Service and Electric Drive. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:</strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/li-shufu-owned-geely-largest-shareholder-daimler-ag-28224">&nbsp;<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Li Shufu-owned Geely Group becomes </span></strong></a><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/li-shufu-owned-geely-largest-shareholder-daimler-ag-28224"><span style="color:#ff0000;">largest</span></a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/li-shufu-owned-geely-largest-shareholder-daimler-ag-28224"><span style="color:#ff0000;"> shareholder in Daimler AG</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The new JV will be headquartered in Hangzhou and the service will be available in selected cities in China from 2019.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1fd31286-09b8-4b47-8998-10b5f44bb25d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1fd31286-09b8-4b47-8998-10b5f44bb25d.jpg&h=485&w=73541119https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-and-geely-to-set-up-jv-for-premium-ridehailing-service-in-china-41119
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/daimler-and-geely-to-set-up-jv-for-premium-ridehailing-service-in-china-41119Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:29:00Daimler India CV’s 100-vehicle service bay facility opens in Dharuhera<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a1d1c7cc-e605-4ed9-92d5-b99387924203.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Big just got bigger. Dhingra Trucking, an authorised dealer and business partner of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) since 2013, has opened&nbsp;India&rsquo;s largest BharatBenz truck service facility. </strong></p>
<p>The company&rsquo;s existing operation in Dharuhera, Rewari district of Haryana has been &nbsp;expanded to now feature 100 service bays and prepares the ground for further growth as the number of BharatBenz customers and vehicles in the region continues to increase.</p>
<p>Speaking at the inauguration of the new facility, Ramesh Rajagopalan, vice-president &ndash; Customer Service, DICV, said: &ldquo;Vehicle uptime is the most important factor for our customers. At BharatBenz, our focus under the ProServ initiative is to continuously enhance the customer service capacity in line with the rapidly growing vehicle park and to continue to offer best-in-class services to our customers.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Mandeep Dhingra, managing director, Dhingra Trucking, added: &ldquo;Close to one of the most important highways connecting Delhi to Western and Southern India, we will set new benchmarks in terms of speed and quality thanks to 100 service bays. For us at Dhingra Trucking, it is all about the customer experience, and we&rsquo;re proud to be known for our first-class support.&rdquo;</p>
<p>DICV&#39;s branded &lsquo;ProServ&rsquo; customer service initiative is an integral part of the BharatBenz trucking experience. It is tailored to meet the specific needs of truck and bus customers with a host of offerings like express service, speed fix, on-site support at the doorstep, bundled with value-add services of AMC, extended warranty, insurance, and enabling customers to save time, money and resources.</p>
<p>The 100-bay Dharuhera facility offers 24x7 services to its customers supported by a fully trained, 200-strong service team which is equipped with high productivity tools, advanced diagnostics and mobile service vans. Dhingra Trucking already operates four network touchpoints with locations in Delhi, Hissar, Karnal and the newly expanded Dharuhera. All provide sales and service support for the complete range of 9-49 tonne BharatBenz trucks and buses as well Mercedes-Benz luxury coaches.</p>
<p>Overall, DICV&rsquo;s all-India BharatBenz network comprises more than 150 touch-points.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-crosses-100-000-unit-production-milestone-40629"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Daimler India CV crosses 100,000 unit production milestone</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The 100-bay Dharuhera facility offers 24x7 services to its customers supported by a fully trained, 200-strong service team which is equipped with high productivity tools, advanced diagnostics and mobile service vans.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a1d1c7cc-e605-4ed9-92d5-b99387924203.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a1d1c7cc-e605-4ed9-92d5-b99387924203.jpg&h=485&w=73541106https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv’s-100vehicle-service-bay-facility-opens-in-dharuhera-41106
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv’s-100vehicle-service-bay-facility-opens-in-dharuhera-41106Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:12:00MAN to invest €27.4 million for electric bus production<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/19cf6ba6-04bf-47f7-85e8-876d580e380e.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>MAN Truck and Bus, one of the largest subsidiary of Germany-based MAN SE, has announced the next phase of modernisation of its plant in Starachowice in Poland. This would enable it to start the mass production of the MAN Lion&rsquo;s City E bus by 2020.</strong></p>
<p>The operating company, MAN Bus Sp. z o.o. Starachowice, received approval in August 2018 to expand its activities to include manufacturing of complete electric buses within the &lsquo;Starachowice Special Economic Zone&rsquo;. The capital expenditure related to accommodating electric-powered bus production is estimated at close to 118 million Polish złoty (around &euro;27.4 million/Rs 230 crore). Completion of the works is planned for the end of 2021.</p>
<p>The assembly plant also acts as a centre of excellence for MAN in the production of low-floor city buses. The company claims that 1,724 buses have rolled off the production line in the past year alone. The expansion of the Starachowice plant lays the foundation for MAN to branch out into zero-emissions vehicles in the near future. Before mass production begins in 2020, the project will need to be carefully prepared, with a safety concept devised and the electric vehicles optimised in terms of efficiency and ergonomics.</p>
<![CDATA[City bus production facility in Starachowice, Poland receives approval for complete electric bus assembly.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/19cf6ba6-04bf-47f7-85e8-876d580e380e.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/19cf6ba6-04bf-47f7-85e8-876d580e380e.jpg&h=485&w=73541099https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/man-to-invest-€274-million-for-electric-bus-production-41099
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/man-to-invest-€274-million-for-electric-bus-production-41099Tue, 23 Oct 2018 14:32:00Tata Motors to host free all-India service camp for CVs from October 23-29<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/22fcad38-825f-443a-8dd6-9fe4ed79c493.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Commercial vehicle market leader Tata Motors is to host a week-long, free service camp for CVs across India. The customer service initiative opens tomorrow, October 23 and goes on till October 29. Tata Motors&rsquo; Commercial Vehicle Business Division (CVBU) celebrates National Customer Care day on October 23 every year to commemorate the day the company got its first customer.</strong></p>
<p>The nation-wide free service camp called &lsquo;Grahak Seva Mahotsav&rsquo;&nbsp;for all Tata commercial vehicle owners will take place across&nbsp;over 1,500&nbsp;Tata Motors workshops and Tata Authorised Service Stations.&nbsp;At this service camp, owners can also avail attractive discounts on spare parts, labour and profile engine purchases. Last year&rsquo;s Grahak Seva Mahotsav saw over 150,000 customers visiting the camp.</p>
<p>Tata Motors will also launch the&nbsp;Grahak Samvaad&nbsp;campaign from October 24-31. With this campaign, the company&rsquo;s customer care team will conduct meetings with CV customers and fleet owners to inform them about the latest product offerings and also collect feedback to enhance customer experience.&nbsp;</p>
<p>According to R Ramakrishnan,&nbsp;Global Head Customer Care, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors,&nbsp;&ldquo;Commercial vehicles are the pillars of strength of any country&rsquo;s economy. This initiative has given us an opportunity to support those who support our economy. At Tata Motors, we have always aimed to provide the best aftersales experience to all our customers. On the very special occasion of National Customer Service Day, we wish to celebrate the close connect we share with our valued customers and trusted channel partners. The Grahak Samvaad initiative will help Tata Motors achieve new heights of customer satisfaction by providing a host of innovative solutions to commercial vehicle owners.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038"><span style="color:#ff0000;">CV industry firing on all cylinders, Tata Motors leads gains in H1 FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[From October 23-29, over 1,500 Tata Motors dealers and Tata Authorised Service Stations across India will conduct vehicle checks as well as offer discounts on spare parts, labour and profile engine purchases.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/22fcad38-825f-443a-8dd6-9fe4ed79c493.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/22fcad38-825f-443a-8dd6-9fe4ed79c493.jpg&h=485&w=73541083https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-host-free-allindia-service-camp-for-cvs-from-october-2329-41083
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-to-host-free-allindia-service-camp-for-cvs-from-october-2329-41083Mon, 22 Oct 2018 13:13:00AxleTech and Thor Trucks to develop heavy-duty powertrains for electric CV<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d3a51cfe-0420-44ee-ba60-03aaaef8fe19.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>AxleTech, a US-based speciality powertrain solutions provider is developing a heavy-duty e-powertrain system with Thor Trucks, a fleet-focused transportation lab that is building fully-electric commercial trucks. AxleTech and Thor Trucks will integrate AxleTech&rsquo;s e-axle technology with Thor&rsquo;s proprietary battery technology to create a fully electric commercial vehicle powertrain.</strong></p>
<p>Bill Gryzenia, CEO, AxleTech said, &ldquo;Due to the acute market need for these solutions, we are proud to work alongside Thor Trucks to build the most advanced integrated powertrain components for driveline electrification. Our team takes this role seriously and is relentless in identifying and developing the next generation of electric powertrain systems.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Giordano Sordoni, co-founder and COO of Thor Trucks said, &ldquo;Thor Tucks will benefit tremendously from AxleTech&rsquo;s industry-leading powertrain expertise as we work to meet the market&rsquo;s increasing demand for electrification. This partnership is a significant stride forward in our pursuit to transform the commercial transportation industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Thor Trucks is a California-based transportation lab focused on electrifying commercial fleets. Founded by fleet operators, Thor Trucks builds fully-electric trucks, including the battery, for medium-duty commercial applications. In July 2018, Thor Trucks had announced that it would partner with UPS to build and test two fully-electric delivery trucks in the greater Los Angeles area.</p>
<p>AxleTech provides integrated solutions for on-highway electric vehicles, including Class 6, 7, and 8 trucks, as well as transit applications. The company has reportedly established many other strategic partnerships with industry leaders to develop groundbreaking customised, fully-integrated electric powertrain systems.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the company unveiled its next-generation electric independent suspension concept for high-mobility applications. AxleTech&rsquo;s 5000 Series eISAS concept is claimed to enhance&nbsp;performance along with&nbsp;the ability to improve stealth characteristics, lower heat signatures, and improve fuel savings to logistics vehicles, tactical vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers.</p>
<p>AxleTech plans to launch its newest e-powertrain offering in 2019.</p>
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<![CDATA[AxleTech’s e-axle technology and Thor’s proprietary battery technology will lead to a fully electric commercial vehicle powertrain.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicles, Technologyhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d3a51cfe-0420-44ee-ba60-03aaaef8fe19.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d3a51cfe-0420-44ee-ba60-03aaaef8fe19.jpg&h=485&w=73541049https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/axletech-and-thor-trucks-to-develop-heavyduty-powertrains-for-electric-cv-41049
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/axletech-and-thor-trucks-to-develop-heavyduty-powertrains-for-electric-cv-41049Wed, 17 Oct 2018 12:54:00Renault and Brilliance look to accelerate LCV sales in China, launch 3 new e-LCVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b214bb33-b090-4176-bf64-90f9c6aee4d9.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Renault Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited (Brilliance), which set up the Renault-Brilliance-Jinbei Automotive Co joint venture in January 2018 to manufacture and sell light commercial vehicles (LCVs), have enhanced their colloaboration. </strong></p>
<p>The two automakers today signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Paris with Chinese officials from Liaoning Province to further accelerate growth of LCVs in China. Liaoning Province is one of China&rsquo;s new automobile industrial hubs with over 120 auto and auto-parts manufacturers and is the largest provincial economy of Northeast China.</p>
<p>Renault also confirmed plans for three new electric light commercial vehicles for China within two years.</p>
<p>A delegation from the Chinese government, including Tang Yijun, the governor of Liaoning province, and Yan Bingzhe, vice-mayor of Shenyang, met with Renault chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn, senior vice-president of Renault LCV business unit Ashwani Gupta, Brilliance Auto CEO QI Yumin, Brilliance chairman Wu Xiao An, and other senior executives from both Brilliance and Renault, at Renault&rsquo;s corporate headquarters before signing the Strategic Cooperation agreement.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Ten months after our initial launch of our joint venture in China with Brilliance, we have a local management team in place, LCV product plan to deliver further growth with seven LCVs for China including three electric LCV models, starting in early 2019. Our agreement with the local government in Liaoning province will strengthen our foundation for growth,&rdquo;&nbsp;said Carlos Ghosn.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The city of Shenyang and Liaoning province commit support to vehicle projects, new energies and R&amp;D activities, industrial development, promotion of local suppliers and product development,&rdquo;&nbsp;said&nbsp; Tang Yijun, governor of Liaoning province. &ldquo;Renault Brilliance Jinbei Automotive Company will play a crucial role in the sustainable industrial development of Shenyang, in the revitalization of the local economy, promoting environment-friendly technical solutions and products and supporting the enterprises in the Liaoning Province.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">China LCV market forecast: 3m units per annum</span></strong><br />
The Chinese LCV market forecast is for 3 million units per year, growing and moving rapidly. Increasing urbanisation as well as an e-commerce explosion make new and optimised logistics as well as inner-city transportation schemes necessary for both people and goods. Urban last-mile delivery is expected to grow by 125 percent till 2030. China is also the biggest, fastest growing EV-market in the world.</p>
<p>Recognising this potential for LCV sales, in January 2018, the Renault Group and Brilliance had signed a contract for the formation of a joint venture beginning in 2018, to manufacture and sell light commercial vehicles (LCV) under the Jinbei, Renault and Huasong brands with the goal of achieving 150,000 sales annually by 2022, and an acceleration of electrifying powertrains. Year-to-date since forming the joint venture, Jinbei brand sales hit 124,900 units in September.</p>
<p>Renault-Brilliance-Jinbei Automotive Co is headquartered and has manufacturing operations in the Dadong District of Shenyang and is producing vehicles in three key segments&mdash;MPVs, medium vans and heavy vans and will soon add electric LCV models to its range.</p>
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<![CDATA[The Chinese LCV market is forecast to grow to 3 million units per year. Increasing urbanisation as well as an e-commerce explosion make new and optimised logistics as well as inner-city transportation schemes necessary for both people and goods.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b214bb33-b090-4176-bf64-90f9c6aee4d9.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b214bb33-b090-4176-bf64-90f9c6aee4d9.jpg&h=485&w=73541042https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/renault-and-brilliance-look to-accelerate-lcv-sales-in-china--launch-3-new-elcvs-41042
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/renault-and-brilliance-look to-accelerate-lcv-sales-in-china--launch-3-new-elcvs-41042Tue, 16 Oct 2018 21:28:00CV industry firing on all cylinders, Tata Motors leads gains in H1 FY2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e31252aa-8f4b-4533-8096-33827a0728ef.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>With six months of fiscal year 2019 over, vehicle makers and industry observers in India are taking a close look at the road ahead<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tepid-q2-impacts-h1-sales--oems-look-to-ride-on-festive-season-demand-41013">. <span style="color:#ff0000;">Overall September 2018 numbers, based on robust year-ago sales, are low but also indicate moderation in some segments</span></a>, particularly passenger cars, utility vehicles and scooters. Clearly, OEMs are looking forward to the festive season to inject some much-needed oomph into the market.</strong></p>
<p>In sharp contrast to this somewhat tepid show is the commercial vehicle (CV) industry which is firing on all cylinders. Having closed FY2018 on a very strong note (856,453 units / +19.94% &ndash; M&amp;HCVs: 340,313 / +12.48% &amp; LCVs: 516,140 / 25.42%), the sector looks well placed to cross the one-million units sales landmark for the first time in a fiscal year.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the April-September 2018 period, the CV industry has sold a total of 487,316 units (+37.82%) comprising 190,795 M&amp;HCVs (+47.88%) and 296,521 (+32.05%). This constitutes year-on-year growth of 37.82 percent, a performance which many global markets would be envying. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>What giving the domestic CV industry momentum and a high-growth trajectory is the sustained uptick in economic activities and the government focus on developing infrastructure across the country. Key growth indicators such as GDP growth, infrastructure spend and higher mining activities point towards higher demand for the heavy trucks segment. And, increasing demand for last-mile connectivity, the boom in e-commerce and mobility needs in rural areas is helping the LCV segment move into the fast lane.</p>
<p>Given this nature of demand, the goods carrier segment &ndash; across both M&amp;HCV and LCVs &ndash; is benefitting in a big way, as compared to passenger carriers (buses) which are somewhat dependent on orders from state transport undertakings, albeit demand is growing for school buses. &nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/H1%20CVs%20-%20Final.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 398px;" title=""></p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20MHCVS%20GOODS%20CARRIERS_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 442px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">M&amp;HCVs notch 48% growth in H1, Tata Motors&#39; share expands&nbsp;to 53%</span></strong><br>
Both the M&amp;HCV and LCV segments have notched record high sales in H1 FY2019. During the April-September 2018 period, the M&amp;HCV goods carrier segment grew by a strong 54 percent with sales of 171,091 units (H1 FY2018: 111,225 units). Likewise, the LCV goods carrier segment is up 34 percent with total sales of 268,437 units (H1 FY2018: 200,940).</p>
<p>In the fiscal year till now, freight rates have seen some uptick. This is also helped by higher spend on infra projects. NHAI road contracts, awarded last year, are currently under execution in various parts of the country. Also, affordable housing and irrigation projects are contributing to the incremental demand for M&amp;HCVs. With the upswing in infrastructure projects across the country, there is increasing demand for tippers and is likely to remain strong, given the government&rsquo;s effort to stimulate the economy and create more jobs.</p>
<p>In such a buoyant environment, all the major CV makers are more than pleased with the surging demand for their high-margin, heavy-duty trucks. Every manufacturer has recorded significant growth &ndash; between 40-70 percent &ndash; in its H1 heavy-duty trucks sales.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/M%26HCVs%20-%20H1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 265px;" title=""></p>
<p>CV market leader Tata Motors, which is engaged in an aggressive battle to win back lost ground in the heavy-duty truck segment, seems to be playing its cards well. Its M&amp;HCV sales numbers jumped 60 percent in H1 FY2019 to 90,731 units, which gives it a market share of 53 percent. Tata Motors is the sole OEM in the segment which has managed to gain 2 percentage points in M&amp;HCV market share; all&nbsp; the other players, barring , other than Mahindra Trucks &amp; Buses, have either lost a few points or recorded flat growth in a market which has grown by 53.82 percent YoY to 171,091 units (H1 FY2018: 111,225 M&amp;HCVs).</p>
<p>Ashok Leyland, the second largest player in the segment, sold 54,332 units with growth of a significant 46 percent; this gives it a share of 31.76 percent but it ends up losing 1.75 percent (H1 FY2018: 33.51%). Similarly, VE Commercial Vehicles, <strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ve-commercial-vehicles-to-set-up-new-rs-400-crore-plant-in-bhopal-40935"><span style="color:#ff0000;">which has recently announced plans for a new plant in Bhopal</span></a></strong>, has increased its heavy duty truck sales by 46 percent with 18,170 units for a market share of 10.62 percent, losing half a percentage. Mahindra trucks &amp; Buses is another ambitious player eyeing smart gains in this highly competitive segment. The company has grown the most during H1 albeit on a low base. It sold 6,242 units during the period, up 78 percent but marginally growing its market share to 3.65 percent from 3.14 percent a year ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/SMALL%20SVC.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 292px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">Tata Motors wrests LCV leadership from Mahindra&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></strong><br>
Even though the M&amp;HCV segment is the more profitable one compared to LCVs, CV makers are now realising the hidden potential in the LCV market where demand has sharply grown from the FMCG, e-commerce and last-mile transportation sectors.</p>
<p>The big news in H1 is that of Tata Motors driving ahead of Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, a long-time leader in the LCV load carrier segment by gaining 2 percent market share after several years. It sold 112,879 units, up 40 percent, to get a market share of 42 percent in H1 FY2019. In comparison, M&amp;M sold 111,111 LCVs, up 21 percent, with 41.3 percent market share but a decline of over 4 percent. Although Tata Motors&rsquo; lead is a slight one, it&rsquo;s a big win for the company which has been aggressively battling with M&amp;M to regain its lost market share.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/LCVs%20-%20H1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 330px;" title=""></p>
<p>Tata Motors&rsquo; weapon to wrest market share is the Tata Ace small CV family (Ace, Ace Zip, Ace Mega and Super Ace). These four SCVs have sold a total of 73,183 units between April-August 2018, which marks 51.82 percent YoY growth (April-August 2017: 48,202). The Tata Ace, with 50,831 units (+102%) has been the prime contributor to sales, followed by the Ace Mega (12,317 / -5.3%), Ace Zip (7,953 / -3.4%) and Super Ace (2,082 / +163%).</p>
<p>This said, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra is fighting back hard. <strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-ups-the-ante-in-small-cvs--launches-new-17t-bolero-pickup-40986"><span style="color:#ff0000;">The company recently launched its Maha Bolero, which it says is India&rsquo;s first pick-up with 1.7-tonne payload capacity</span></a></strong>. The&nbsp;new range of the Maha Bolero Pik-up (pictured below) gets all-new interior and improved seating comfort with a wider co-driver seat.&nbsp;The Maha Bolero Pik-up flat-bed has been launched at an introductory price, starting at Rs 666,000 (ex-showroom, Pune).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/DK_BoleroPikUp%20White_3-4th%20Top%20angle%20with%20loaded%20woods_MERGED.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 553px;" title=""></p>
<p>The new Bolero Pik-up comes with an extra-long cargo deck with a length of 9 feet (2765mm) &ndash; the highest in its category &ndash; which complements the highest payload carrying capacity of 1,700kg. The Maha Bolero Pik-up comes with a double-bearing axle, stronger 9-leaf suspension and wider 15-inch, 12PR tyres to support the increased load carrying capacity. The Maha Bolero Pik-up range consists of different body styles, cargo box lengths and varying payload capacities of 1,300kg, 1,500kg and 1,700kg, suitable for various customer segments and their needs.&nbsp;Expect to see a pitched battle on the SCV front between Tata and M&amp;M in the coming months.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Ashok Leyland is also trying to become a challenger in the segment by pushing its presence in the LCV goods carrier segments with the Dost SCV and its variants, and is learnt to be working to introduce a few more products. At present, it has an LCV market share of 8.85 percent with sales of 23,766 units between April-September 2018.</p>
<p>Maruti Suzuki India, a late entrant in the CV market with its Super Carry, has gained nearly 4 percent market share with sales of 10,439 units of the Super&nbsp;Carry in H1 FY2019. Still, it&rsquo;s a number the country&rsquo;s leading carmaker would not really be happy with. &nbsp;Nonetheless, the Super Carry is beginning to see sales pick up, albeit slowly. In September 2018, the Super Carry clocked its best-ever monthly sales yet &ndash; 2,038 units. Its previous best was in August 2018 &ndash; 1,805 units. Till end-September 2018, a total of 21,372 Super Carrys have been sold in India.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/WEB%20SUPER%20CARRY%2020170905_170619.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 347px;" title=""></p>
<p>Now with the festive season underway, which is also when there is a good level of vehicle buying, particularly in rural India, CV OEMs will be looking to accelerate their sales numbers, particularly when the wind is blowing in their sails. Stay tuned for further updates on this very exciting vehicle segment.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/tata--toyota--hyundai-and-fca-india-increase-uv-market-share-in-h1-fy2019-41030"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Tata Motors, Toyota, Hyundai and FCA India increase UV market share in H1 FY2019</span></a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<![CDATA[Both the M&HCV and LCV segments have notched record sales in first-half of the ongoing fiscal year and look well set to crack the million-unit mark in FY2019]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e31252aa-8f4b-4533-8096-33827a0728ef.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e31252aa-8f4b-4533-8096-33827a0728ef.jpg&h=485&w=73541038https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038
https://www.autocarpro.in/analysis-sales/cv-industry-firing-on-all-cylinders--tata-motors-leads-gains-in-h1-fy2019-41038Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:37:00Christina Hallin: ‘The premium truck segment in India is small but shows potential’<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e303ebc0-1b99-4d4f-af3d-5816c71b766a.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><em>The <strong>Vice-President of the Bangalore-based Volvo Trucks &mdash; Market India </strong>reveals plans to introduce new models, bring in the fuel-saving I-Shift automated manual transmission system and also electronic braking later this year, expand into the construction and long-haul truck segments, along with ensuring quality after sales </em><em>service .</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">What </span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">is</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;"> Volvo Trucks&rsquo; current business plan and the strategies being employing in a competitive marketplace like India?</span></strong><br>
Volvo Trucks has been in India for more than 20 years. At present, we operate our business with our joint venture partner VECV (Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles). We are active in the premium European segment, particularly in mining where we have approximately 80 percent market share; last year we sold approximately 1,200 vehicles.</p>
<p>We see potential to grow our business by using the good image and reputation we have in mining to expand into new areas like construction and long-haul. We have already made some headway in construction with some key customers, who have bagged some large projects. The premium truck segment in India is small but shows potential. Customers in this segment generally want a truck that is durable, fuel efficient and offers the best TCO (total cost of ownership).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">What is the potential for Volvo Trucks in the premium truck segment in the </span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">mid-term</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">?</span></strong><br>
The premium segment in India is about 1,500 units annually. We offer the Volvo FMX and Volvo FM models in India. The Volvo FMX 8X4 is intended for mining operations while the FM 6x4 is fit for heavy haulage applications. We would also soon be introducing newer models that are specifically designed keeping Indian road construction in mind.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/262A2561%20%282%29.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Volvo Trucks claims it has an 80 </em><em>percent</em><em> share of the mining truck market in India</em></p>
<p>In India, there is still a focus on the sticker price but increasingly we are seeing that haulage operators are concerned with the total cost of a vehicle over its entire lifecycle. This mindset shift creates a demand for European brands and their fuel-efficient, high-quality products with long lifecycles.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Premium trucks are largely used for special applications and in extreme conditions. This also means demanding customers, which calls for solid </span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">after sales</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;"> support from OEMs. How </span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">is</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;"> Volvo Trucks placed in this area?</span></strong><br>
We know that when a customer&rsquo;s truck stands still, so does their business. The promise of uptime through top-line service delivered by trained technicians and genuine Volvo parts is what makes us competitive in this market. We are continuously investing in the training of our technicians and also provide support to our customers when and where they need it the most. For our coal industry customers, for instance, we have set up workshops onsite to support them around the clock.&nbsp; In addition to workshop services, we also offer driver development, fuel advice and fleet management services like Dynafleet that help reduce costs and increase productivity.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Some local and a few global CV OEMs are eyeing the premium truck segment? How are you taking on the competition? </span></strong><br>
The premium truck segment in India is dominated by European brands. Volvo Trucks&rsquo; ambition to be the customer&rsquo;s best business partner is what sets us apart in this market. We work towards fulfilling this promise through innovation, our core values and focus on customer satisfaction.</p>
<p>If we start with innovation, Volvo Trucks is continuously introducing technologies that set a new benchmark for the Indian truck industry. This includes our I-Shift automatic gearbox and the electronic braking system which we will introduce later this year to enable more safety features on our trucks.</p>
<p>Safety, a word that has become synonymous with the Volvo brand, is at the heart of everything that we do. A core value since the very beginning, Volvo&rsquo;s commitment to safety has enabled the development of a number of innovations, including the three-point seatbelt which has saved more lives in traffic than any other technical feature.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/262A9262%20%282%29.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>In 2017, Volvo Trucks sold around 1,200 vehicles in India</em></p>
<p>Satisfied and productive customers are at the heart of our business. Trucks constitute our main offering, but we also provide workshop services delivered through a network of 169 touchpoints [24 VSPC + 145 Site Support].</p>
<p>Our workshop services are what ensure that our customers&rsquo; operations never come to a standstill. In addition, we also offer fuel advice and fleet management services which help bring down costs and improve productivity.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We have an assembly plant in Hosakote, near Bangalore. The production capacity there supports our sales in India while the engine plant can be scaled up to meet higher demand.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">What is the company&#39;s outlook for the CV market in India? What are the key opportunities and challenges? </span></strong><br>
The outlook for the Indian commercial vehicle industry is positive as the country continues to urbanise, there are more investments into infrastructure and increased consumption, particularly through online shopping, which increases transport needs. Progressive economic policies, like GST, are also likely to contribute towards industry growth. Looking ahead, we see stricter emission regulations as an important trend with India set to leapfrog to BS VI emission standard by 2020.</p>
<p>We also see connectivity as an important differentiator in the market as progressive fleet operators and logistics companies see the benefit of telematics in reducing costs and improving productivity. An increased attention to productivity also means TCO awareness and a focus on cost optimisation and fuel efficiency. We currently do not export from our assembly plant in India.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">Are you looking at bringing any new products or planning fresh investment in India in the near-term?</span></strong><br>
We cannot comment on future product launches and investments.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">India is going to have emission norms changing in the next two years. What impact will it have on premium trucks? How </span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;">is</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#0000ff;"> Volvo Trucks preparing for this transition? </span></strong><br>
We already sell Euro 6 engines which are the equivalent of BS VI around the world. We welcome the government&rsquo;s push towards more sustainable transport and are ready with commercial solutions to meet the stricter emission regulations.</p>
<p><em>(This interview was first published in the 1 August 2018 issue of Autocar Professional)</em></p>
<![CDATA[The Vice-President of the Bangalore-based Volvo Trucks — Market India reveals plans for the future of the company in the country.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e303ebc0-1b99-4d4f-af3d-5816c71b766a.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e303ebc0-1b99-4d4f-af3d-5816c71b766a.JPG&h=485&w=73541029https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/christina-hallin-‘the-premium-truck-segment-in-india-is-small-but-shows-potential’-41029
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/christina-hallin-‘the-premium-truck-segment-in-india-is-small-but-shows-potential’-41029Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:00:00Veejay Ram Nakra: .’The new Bolero 1.7-tonne pick-up is for larger loads and longer distances.’<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f54ab100-01d8-4bda-b39b-0673a46386fb.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong><em>Autocar Professional caught up with Veejay Ram Nakra, Chief of Sales &amp; Marketing, Auto Division, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, on the sidelines of <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-ups-the-ante-in-small-cvs--launches-new-17t-bolero-pickup-40986"><span style="color:#ff0000;">the national launch of the Bolero 1.7 tonne pick-up variant in Pune today</span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;">.</span> Pushing the payload capacity further, now to 1700kg, M&amp;M aims to capitalise on the growing business applications with the start of the festive season this year. For M&amp;M, which has sold more than 1,000,000 units of its pick-up range so far, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are top markets. Excerpts from the interaction:</em></strong></p>
<p><strong>How is Mahindra &amp; Mahindra planning to further build upon its existing pick-up vehicle portfolio? Who are the target customers for Mahindra&rsquo;s Bolero pick-up range?</strong>&nbsp;<br>
As you know, M&amp;M is the leader in the pick-up space in India. For 20 years we have been the leaders in this category of vehicles as we have constantly innovated and launched new products in the market. We have launched today a new version of the Bolero pick-up &ndash; the Maha-Bolero Pick-up. For the first time in India, a pick-up brand is now going to be available with capacity to carry 1700kg, which is the biggest of its kind in its segment.</p>
<p>Along with that we are also upgrading the existing (Bolero) pick-ups that we have in our portfolio. These are the 1.3-tonne and the 1.5-tonne variants. Thus, from today, we will have the entire large pick-up range available (with new features) from 1.3 tonnes to 1.7 tonnes.</p>
<p>As far as the target customers are concerned, we have two large segments that we cater to. We&rsquo;ve got the market load operator, which is the stands, and the second is the captive segment. So this product will fit into both the categories. In fact, it (1.7 tonne model) will fit a lot more in the captive segment because this product will need a national permit, because it is a 1.7 tonne pick-up truck, and hence we find the application of this will be more for inter-city rather than intra-city jobs.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20Amit2.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 395px;" title=""></p>
<p><strong>What is the fundamental reason behind revamping the pick-up portfolio, and why is the new variant positioned under the Bolero brand?</strong><br>
Bolero is a well-known brand. We have revamped the portfolio because we are increasingly seeing that there are many products now available in the 0.7 tonne to 1 tonne range and the large pick-ups need their distinct space.</p>
<p>With the launch of the Maha Bolero Pick-up, we will have a full range between the Jeeto, Supro and Bolero starting from 0.5 tonne, 0.7 tonne, 0.9 tonne, 1.3 tonne, 1.5 tonne to now 1.7 tonne. It gives us an entire spread of portfolio with reasonable gaps between payload capacities based on user applications to have full range commercial vehicles available.</p>
<p><strong>Did you conduct any customer survey to know whether there is a need for a 1.7-tonne payload capacity pick-up in the local market?</strong><br>
Customers are always at the centre of our decision-making. Like we said, a lot of people who wanted to ply goods for short-distance inter-city movements wanted a vehicle which could have the ability to carry more load. Up to two tonnes there is no limitation in terms of carrying load, and hence the requirement for the 1.7 tonne payload ability came from the customers.</p>
<p>Prior to the 1.7 tonne pick-up launched today, industry had up to the 1.5 tonne vehicle (Bolero pick-up), again we were the pioneers to launch it in India. Today we are being a pioneer again by launching the 1.7-tonne variant.</p>
<p><strong>What specific customer applications is the 1.7 tonne vehicle built for?</strong><br>
It can accommodate a 9-oot-long cargo box / container. It will have the ability to carry all forms of goods, whether it is volume-based or load-based. So it would be very difficult to categorise specific applications. The vehicle can be used for multiple applications such as dairy and agri products, mineral water and in other areas.</p>
<p><strong>Do you think it can also be used by the logistics service providers to, say, Amazon, Flipkart and similar platforms?</strong><br>
I think, on the contrary, Amazon and Flipkarts deploy smaller vehicles, more in the Jeeto kind of space. I would say that the Jeeto products are very well accepted in that segment. Swacch Bharat and e-commerce is typically looked after by the Jeeto segment small commercial vehicles. Those LCVs are for smaller loads, small distance and quick turnarounds type of requirements. The Bolero 1.7 tonne pick-up is for larger loads and longer distances.</p>
<p><strong>What new updates on the engineering side are given to the existing frame to be able to withstand additional load capacity in the new 1.7-tonne variant?</strong><br>
Obviously, it will require some axle modification and suspension change. We have done all of that in the product. That&rsquo;s how we have been able to enhance its payload capacity. The powertrain, on the other hand, remains the same. It is a diesel engine (four-cylinder, 2.5-litre, 70bhp at 3200rpm, 200Nm at 1400-2200rpm) with sufficient power and torque to carry the load.</p>
<p><strong>What are the key markets for the Bolero pick-up SCVs?</strong><br>
The heartland of India is a very big market for us. That includes Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar and Maharashtra. These are big markets for us. Needless to say, the south is also a very big market for commercial vehicle application and hence Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are also significantly large markets for pick-up vehicles.</p>
<p><strong>How do you view the market structure across India for these pick-ups? Which are the top contributors to M&amp;M&rsquo;s Bolero pick-up sales?</strong><br>
We break our structure into five zones: north (Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh), north-west (Delhi NCR, Rajasthan and Gujarat), east (Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and all of North East markets), south (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka) and west (Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Maharashtra). The top contributors are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.</p>
<p><strong>Can you throw some light on the market size of pick-up vehicles in India?</strong>Typically the industry is about 20,000- 22,000 vehicles per month in this category. This segment has been growing about 17 percent. We continue to be the market leaders in this category with a share in the range of 62-70 percent.</p>
<p><strong>Apart from soaring fuel prices, how do you evaluate the market sentiment in Q3 FY2019?</strong><br>
I think the festive season is looking buoyant; we can see that the demand is back and customer sentiments are healthy. The first day of Navratri was very good for us, it was better than last year. So we are very hopeful that Q3 will be a very good quarter for us.</p>
<![CDATA[Veejay Ram Nakra, Chief of Sales & Marketing, Auto Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, on the just-launched Bolero 1.7-tonne pick-up variant, expansive business applications with the Bolero range and lots more. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f54ab100-01d8-4bda-b39b-0673a46386fb.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f54ab100-01d8-4bda-b39b-0673a46386fb.jpg&h=485&w=73540987https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/veejay-ram-nakra-’the-new-bolero-17tonne-pickup-is-for-larger-loads-and-longer-distances’-40987
https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/veejay-ram-nakra-’the-new-bolero-17tonne-pickup-is-for-larger-loads-and-longer-distances’-40987Thu, 11 Oct 2018 19:04:00Mahindra ups the ante in small CVs, launches new 1.7T Bolero pick-up<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7fc29440-27b0-4ae9-a983-274417bd8fa8.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Three weeks after <a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-bolero-pickup-to-get-new-13t-and-17t-variants-40758"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Autocar Professional revealed news about Mahindra &amp; Mahindra plotting a new 1.7-tonne variant of its high-selling Bolero pick-up</span></a>, the company today launched the Mahindra Bolero Pik-up. </strong></p>
<p>M&amp;M says it is the first pick-up with 1.7-tonne payload capacity. The&nbsp;new range of Maha Bolero Pik-up gets all-new interior and improved seating comfort with a wider co-driver seat.&nbsp;The Maha Bolero Pik-up flat-bed has been launched at an introductory price, starting at Rs 666,000 (ex-showroom, Pune).</p>
<p>The new Bolero Pik-up comes with an extra-long cargo deck with a length of 9 feet (2765mm) &ndash; the highest in its category &ndash; which complements the highest payload carrying capacity of 1,700kg. The Maha Bolero Pik-up comes with a double-bearing axle, stronger 9-leaf suspension and wider 15-inch, 12PR tyres to support the increased load carrying capacity.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The vehicle also gets twin-tandem booster LSPV brakes and a stronger body and chassis which M&amp;M says make it suitable for carrying heavy loads across the country. The Maha Bolero Pik-up range consists of different body styles, cargo box lengths and varying payload capacities of 1,300kg, 1,500kg and 1,700kg, suitable for various customer segments and their needs.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/web%20IMG_9995.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 588px;" title=""></p>
<p><em>Veejay Nakra, Chief &ndash; Sales and Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra at the launch of Mahindra Bolero </em><em>Pik-up</em><em> in Pune.</em></p>
<p>Speaking on the new product,&nbsp;Veejay Nakra, Chief &ndash; Sales and Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra&nbsp;said, "It has always been our endeavour to raise the bar in the pickup segment and provide the best customer value.&nbsp;The Maha Bolero Pik-up&nbsp;provides unprecedented earning potential with its category best 1,700kg payload and 9-foot-long cargo box. This Maha Bolero Pik-up will further enhance the core values of Mahindra&rsquo;s tough and rugged DNA, enabling higher earning potential with lower maintenance costs, and take the brand to the next level&rdquo;.</p>
<p>The newest Mahindra small CV&nbsp;also gets 2 years of free maintenance and a Rs 400,000 buyback guarantee after 4 years.</p>
<p>M&amp;M, which claims a 62 percent market share (YTD September 2018) in the pick-up segment,&nbsp;has the widest portfolio in pick-ups to cater to the various needs of cargo&nbsp;transportation. The company has be the first to introduce a flat-bed cargo pickup, double-cabin pickup, AC pickup, CNG pickup and the first micro-hybrid pickup.</p>
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<p><strong>Also </strong><strong>read:</strong><strong>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/veejay-ram-nakra-%E2%80%99the-new-bolero-17tonne-pickup-is-for-larger-loads-and-longer-distances%E2%80%99-40987"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Veejay Ram Nakra: &rsquo;The new Bolero 1.7-tonne pick-up is for larger loads and longer distances.&rsquo;</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[The Maha Bolero Pik-up range consists of different body styles, cargo box lengths and varying payload capacities of 1,300kg, 1,500kg and 1,700kg, suitable for various customer segments and their needs.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7fc29440-27b0-4ae9-a983-274417bd8fa8.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7fc29440-27b0-4ae9-a983-274417bd8fa8.jpg&h=485&w=73540986https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-ups-the-ante-in-small-cvs--launches-new-17t-bolero-pickup-40986
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-ups-the-ante-in-small-cvs--launches-new-17t-bolero-pickup-40986Thu, 11 Oct 2018 18:47:00VE Commercial Vehicles to set up new Rs 400 crore plant in Bhopal<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/491c85c4-3843-439e-a683-1d6820c774dc.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>With the Indian commercial vehicle industry currently firing on all cylinders and recording 41 percent YoY growth and the key medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&amp;HCV) segment which comprises both trucks and buses notching 55 percent growth, CV manufacturers are looking to accelerate growth.</strong></p>
<p>VE Commercial Vehicles, a subsidiary of Eicher Motors, has announced plans to set up a new, greenfield production facility at Bhopal with an investment of Rs 400 crore. The Madhya Pradesh government has allotted land for&nbsp; the&nbsp; new plant and work to set up this plant is expected to start soon. The all-new plant is slated to stream in the next 18 months with an initial capacity of 40,000 trucks, in addition to the capacity of 90,000 trucks at Pithampur, near Indore. The Pithampur plant also has engine production capacity of 34,000 units, scalable to 100,000 units.</p>
<p>Today&rsquo;s announcement commemorates the completion of 10 successful years of partnership between the Volvo Group and Eicher Motors. VECV says it has recorded average growth of over 18 percent in the past 10 years with a turnover of Rs 10,200 crore in 2017‐18.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the ongoing fiscal (April to August 2018 period), VECV has sold a total of 24,154 units (+38.46%) and has a CV market share of 6.17 percent. In FY2018, the company had sold a total of 55,872 units (+13.09%). The company also exported 9,001 trucks in FY2018 (+12%); between April to August 2018, VECV has shipped 3,838 units (+32%).</p>
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<p><strong><span style="color:#3300ff;">A full-range CV player</span></strong><br>
To celebrate the first decade of the joint venture in India, the entire Board of Directors of AB Volvo is present. Speaking on the occasion, Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO, Volvo Group, said, &ldquo;It is a&nbsp; proud moment for us as we celebrate an extremely successful partnership with Eicher Motors. Together we have created many industry‐leading benchmarks to drive modernisation in&nbsp; the last 10 years. India is a home base for Volvo Group, with a presence of over two decades across our various business lines and we reiterate our strong commitment to the future of the country and VE Commercial Vehicles.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Also commenting on the occasion, Siddhartha Lal, MD and CEO, Eicher Motors, said, &ldquo;The partnership with Volvo has been extremely fruitful for VECV that is reflected in its strong performance in the last decade. VECV is today a full range player in 4- to 55-ton GVW market. Not only has VECV benefited from this partnership, but at the same time we have been able to contribute to the cost‐reduction opportunities for&nbsp; the&nbsp; Volvo&nbsp; Group&nbsp; through&nbsp; supply&nbsp; of&nbsp; cost‐effective&nbsp; engines&nbsp; from&nbsp; India.&nbsp; As we&nbsp; move&nbsp; into&nbsp; the&nbsp; next decade, we reiterate our strong commitment to this partnership.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Håkan&nbsp; Karlsson,&nbsp; president, Volvo Group Trucks Asia &amp; JVs and chairman, VECV added, &ldquo;With the&nbsp;announcement of setting up of a new plant at an investment of Rs 400 crore, we have full confidence in&nbsp;the growth potential in the Indian market and with technologically superior products, VECV is in an advantageous position to fully leverage the opportunities in the market. The visit by the Board of directors of AB Volvo reflects the strong commitment of Volvo Group to this partnership and we are looking forward to further develop the partnership to lead the rapid transformation in the industry.&rdquo;</p>
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<p>VECV is an exclusive manufacturing hub for the medium‐duty Euro 6 engines for the Volvo Group. These&nbsp; engines, manufactured at the state‐of‐the‐art manufacturing facility in Pithampur, are being exported to Europe and Asia to Volvo Group plants.</p>
<![CDATA[The greenfield plant is slated to go on stream in the next 18 months with an initial capacity of 40,000 trucks. This will be in addition to the capacity of 90,000 trucks at Pithampur, near Indore.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/491c85c4-3843-439e-a683-1d6820c774dc.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/491c85c4-3843-439e-a683-1d6820c774dc.jpg&h=485&w=73540935https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ve-commercial-vehicles-to-set-up-new-rs-400-crore-plant-in-bhopal-40935
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ve-commercial-vehicles-to-set-up-new-rs-400-crore-plant-in-bhopal-40935Mon, 08 Oct 2018 11:30:00Tata Motors first OEM to install 100,000th telematic systems on its trucks<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/9eaff432-2e22-4b8e-ac26-8c42599bfa6f.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors has become the first vehicle manufacturer&nbsp;in India to install 100,000 advanced telematic systems on its commercial vehicles. The company says it &nbsp;was the first OEM in India to adopt this technology and integrate it into its offerings in India, under the Tata Fleetman brand name. </strong></p>
<p>Fleetman is the result of the company&#39;s partnership with the UK-based Microlise, one of Europe&rsquo;s leading telematics and fleet management companies.</p>
<p>On September 8, 2014, in a multi-million pound deal, the two firms entered into a five-year contract that will see Microlise supply Tata Motors with its specialist fleet telematics. Microlise&#39;s in-vehicle hardware and a web-based portal allows Tata Motors customers to manage their transport fleets efficiently and safely.</p>
<p>Tata Motors launched Tata Fleetman Telematics in response to growing market needs for better fleet control and greater fleet utilisation. Tata Fleetman generates rich fleet insights and goes on to collaborate with the customer to offer specific interventions towards improvement in the utilisation, performance and safety of the fleet.</p>
<p>For Mi